Since 2020, aggregated from related topics
Metabolic scaling theory is a scientific framework that seeks to understand how metabolic rates change with body size across different organisms. This theory posits that metabolic rate scales with body size according to a specific power law, known as the metabolic rate scaling exponent. The theory suggests that larger organisms have lower metabolic rates per unit of body mass compared to smaller organisms, leading to a slower rate of energy use and a longer lifespan in larger animals. Metabolic scaling theory has been used to explain a wide range of biological phenomena, including the relationship between body size and lifespan, ecological patterns, and evolutionary trends.