Abstract
Most of ecology is about metabolism: the ways that organisms use energy and materials. The energy requirements of individuals - their metabolic rates - vary predictably with their body size and temperature. Ecological interactions are exchanges of energy and materials between organisms and their environments. So metabolic rate affects ecological processes at all levels: individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Each chapter focuses on a different process, level of organization, or kind of organism. It lays a conceptual foundation and presents empirical examples. Together, the chapters provide an integrated framework that holds the promise for a unified theory of ecology.
Original language | English |
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Place of Publication | Chichester, UK |
Publisher | Wiley |
ISBN (Print) | 9780470671535 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 13 Apr 2012 |