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Characteristic Sizes of Life in the Oceans, from Bacteria to Whales

Andersen, K. H. LU ; Berge, T. ; Gonçalves, R. J. ; Hartvig, M. LU ; Heuschele, J. LU ; Hylander, S. LU ; Jacobsen, N. S. ; Lindemann, C. ; Martens, E. A. LU orcid and Neuheimer, A. B. , et al. (2016) In Annual Review of Marine Science 8. p.217-241
Abstract

The size of an individual organism is a key trait to characterize its physiology and feeding ecology. Size-based scaling laws may have a limited size range of validity or undergo a transition from one scaling exponent to another at some characteristic size. We collate and review data on size-based scaling laws for resource acquisition, mobility, sensory range, and progeny size for all pelagic marine life, from bacteria to whales. Further, we review and develop simple theoretical arguments for observed scaling laws and the characteristic sizes of a change or breakdown of power laws. We divide life in the ocean into seven major realms based on trophic strategy, physiology, and life history strategy. Such a categorization represents a move... (More)

The size of an individual organism is a key trait to characterize its physiology and feeding ecology. Size-based scaling laws may have a limited size range of validity or undergo a transition from one scaling exponent to another at some characteristic size. We collate and review data on size-based scaling laws for resource acquisition, mobility, sensory range, and progeny size for all pelagic marine life, from bacteria to whales. Further, we review and develop simple theoretical arguments for observed scaling laws and the characteristic sizes of a change or breakdown of power laws. We divide life in the ocean into seven major realms based on trophic strategy, physiology, and life history strategy. Such a categorization represents a move away from a taxonomically oriented description toward a trait-based description of life in the oceans. Finally, we discuss life forms that transgress the simple size-based rules and identify unanswered questions.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Allometric scaling, Body size, Fish, Metabolism, Mixotrophy, Plankton, Whales
in
Annual Review of Marine Science
volume
8
pages
25 pages
publisher
Annual Reviews
external identifiers
  • scopus:84953223124
  • pmid:26163011
ISSN
1941-1405
DOI
10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-034144
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2016 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved. Copyright: Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
id
9c7689ec-93e8-4bed-afb1-ea7a1d476e2b
date added to LUP
2021-03-19 21:26:20
date last changed
2024-02-20 01:22:18
@article{9c7689ec-93e8-4bed-afb1-ea7a1d476e2b,
  abstract     = {{<p>The size of an individual organism is a key trait to characterize its physiology and feeding ecology. Size-based scaling laws may have a limited size range of validity or undergo a transition from one scaling exponent to another at some characteristic size. We collate and review data on size-based scaling laws for resource acquisition, mobility, sensory range, and progeny size for all pelagic marine life, from bacteria to whales. Further, we review and develop simple theoretical arguments for observed scaling laws and the characteristic sizes of a change or breakdown of power laws. We divide life in the ocean into seven major realms based on trophic strategy, physiology, and life history strategy. Such a categorization represents a move away from a taxonomically oriented description toward a trait-based description of life in the oceans. Finally, we discuss life forms that transgress the simple size-based rules and identify unanswered questions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Andersen, K. H. and Berge, T. and Gonçalves, R. J. and Hartvig, M. and Heuschele, J. and Hylander, S. and Jacobsen, N. S. and Lindemann, C. and Martens, E. A. and Neuheimer, A. B. and Olsson, K. and Palacz, A. and Prowe, A. E.F. and Sainmont, J. and Traving, S. J. and Visser, A. W. and Wadhwa, N. and Kiorboe, T.}},
  issn         = {{1941-1405}},
  keywords     = {{Allometric scaling; Body size; Fish; Metabolism; Mixotrophy; Plankton; Whales}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{217--241}},
  publisher    = {{Annual Reviews}},
  series       = {{Annual Review of Marine Science}},
  title        = {{Characteristic Sizes of Life in the Oceans, from Bacteria to Whales}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-034144}},
  doi          = {{10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-034144}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}