| Universal scaling of production rates across mammalian lineages. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20798111 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Over many millions of years of independent evolution, placental, marsupial and monotreme mammals have diverged conspicuously in physiology, life history and reproductive ecology. The differences in life histories are particularly striking. Compared with placentals, marsupials exhibit shorter pregnancy, smaller size of offspring at birth and longer period of lactation in the pouch. Monotremes also exhibit short pregnancy, but incubate embryos in eggs, followed by a long period of post-hatching lactation. Using a large sample of mammalian species, we show that, remarkably, despite their very different life histories, the scaling of production rates is statistically indistinguishable across mammalian lineages. Apparently all mammals are subject to the same fundamental metabolic constraints on productivity, because they share similar body designs, vascular systems and costs of producing new tissue. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Marcus J Hamilton; Ana D Davidson; Richard M Sibly; James H Brown |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Date: 2010-08-26 |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society Volume: 278 ISSN: 1471-2954 ISO Abbreviation: Proc. Biol. Sci. Publication Date: 2011 Feb |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2011-01-12 Completed Date: 2011-05-04 Revised Date: 2011-07-22 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101245157 Medline TA: Proc Biol Sci Country: England |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 560-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, , Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. marcusj@unm.edu |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Animals Basal Metabolism Biological Evolution* Female Humans Mammals / physiology Marsupialia / metabolism, physiology* Monotremata / metabolism, physiology* Placenta / metabolism, physiology* Pregnancy Reproduction / physiology* |
| Comments/Corrections | |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: The role of threats in animal cooperation.
Next Document: Influence of oceanic factors on Anguilla anguilla (L.) over the twentieth century in coastal habitat...