Evidence for a Mass Dependent Step-Change in the Scaling of Efficiency in Terrestrial Locomotion 英文参考文献.docVIP

EvidenceforaMassDependentStep-Changeinthe ScalingofEfficiencyinTerrestrialLocomotion RobertL.Nudds*,JonathanR.Codd,WilliamI.Sellers FacultyofLifeSciences,UniversityofManchester,Manchester,UnitedKingdom Abstract A reanalysis of existing data suggests that the established tenet of increasing efficiency of transport with body size in terrestriallocomotionrequiresre-evaluation.Here,thestatisticalmodelthatdescribedthedatabestindicatedadichotomy betweenthedataforsmall(,1kg)andlargeanimals(.1kg).Withinandbetweenthesetwosizegroupstherewasno detectable difference in the scaling exponents (slopes) relating metabolic (Emet) and mechanical costs (Emech, CM ) of locomotion to body mass (Mb). Therefore, no scaling of efficiency (Emech, CM/Emet) with Mb was evident within each size group. Small animals, however, appeared to be generally less efficient than larger animals (7% and 26% respectively). Consequently,itispossiblethattherelationshipbetweenefficiencyandMbisnotcontinuous,but,rather,involvesastep- change. This step-change in the efficiency of locomotion mirrors previous findings suggesting a postural cause for an apparentsizedichotomyintherelationshipbetweenEmetandMb.CurrentlydataforEmech, CMislacking,buttherelationship betweenefficiencyinterrestriallocomotionandMbislikelytobedeterminedbypostureandkinematicsratherthanbody sizealone.Hence,scalingofefficiencyislikelytobemorecomplexthanasimplelinearrelationshipacrossbodysizes.A homogenous study of the mechanical cost of terrestrial locomotion across a broad range of species, body sizes, and importantlylocomotorposturesisapriorityforfutureresearch. Citation:NuddsRL,CoddJR,SellersWI(2009)EvidenceforaMassDependentStep-ChangeintheScalingofEfficiencyinTerrestrialLocomotion.PLoSONE4(9): e6927.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006927 Editor:AlejandroLucia,UniversidadEuropeadeMadrid,Spain ReceivedJune2,2009;AcceptedAugust5,2009;PublishedSeptember7,2009 Copyright: ? 2009 Nudds et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the