RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A General Model for the Origin of Allometric Scaling Laws in Biology
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 122
OP 126
DO 10.1126/science.276.5309.122
VO 276
IS 5309
A1 West, Geoffrey B.
A1 Brown, James H.
A1 Enquist, Brian J.
YR 1997
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/276/5309/122.abstract
AB Allometric scaling relations, including the 3/4 power law for metabolic rates, are characteristic of all organisms and are here derived from a general model that describes how essential materials are transported through space-filling fractal networks of branching tubes. The model assumes that the energy dissipated is minimized and that the terminal tubes do not vary with body size. It provides a complete analysis of scaling relations for mammalian circulatory systems that are in agreement with data. More generally, the model predicts structural and functional properties of vertebrate cardiovascular and respiratory systems, plant vascular systems, insect tracheal tubes, and other distribution networks.