Metabolic Ecology

	Metabolic Ecology Metabolic ecology is a field of ecology aiming to understand constraints on metabolic organization as important for understanding almost all life processes. Main focus is on the metabolism of individuals, emerging intra- and inter-specific patterns, and the evolutionary perspective. Two main metabolic theories that have been applied in ecology are Kooijman's Dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory and the West, Brown, and Enquist (WBE) theory of ecology. Both theories have an individual-based metabolic underpinning, but have fundamentally different assumptions. Models of individual's metabolism follow the energy uptake and allocation, and can focus on mechanisms and constraints of energy transport (transport models), or on dynamic use of stored metabolites (energy budget models).{{Cite journal, last1=Lika, first1=Konstadia, last2=Nisbet, first2=Roger M., date=2000-10-01, title=A Dynamic Energy Budget model based on partitioning of net production, journal=Journal of Mathematical Biolog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Metabolism Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cellular processes; the conversion of food to building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates; and the elimination of metabolic wastes. These enzyme-catalyzed reactions allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. The word metabolism can also refer to the sum of all chemical reactions that occur in living organisms, including digestion and the transportation of substances into and between different cells, in which case the above described set of reactions within the cells is called intermediary (or intermediate) metabolism. Metabolic reactions may be categorized as '' catabolic'' – the ''breaking down'' of compounds (for example, of glucose to pyruv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Dynamic Energy Budget Theory The dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory is a formal metabolic theory which provides a single quantitative framework to dynamically describe the aspects of metabolism (energy and mass budgets) of all living organisms at the individual level, based on assumptions about energy uptake, storage, and utilization of various substances. The DEB theory adheres to stringent thermodynamic principles, is motivated by universally observed patterns, is non-species specific, and links different levels of biological organization (cells, organisms, and populations) as prescribed by the implications of energetics. Models based on the DEB theory have been successfully applied to over a 1000 species with real-life applications ranging from conservation, aquaculture, general ecology, and ecotoxicology (see also thAdd-my-pet collection. The theory is contributing to the theoretical underpinning of the emerging field of metabolic ecology. The explicitness of the assumptions and the resulting predictions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Metabolic Theory Of Ecology The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) is the ecological component of the more general Metabolic Scaling Theory and Kleiber's law. It posits that the metabolic rate of organisms is the fundamental biological rate that governs most observed patterns in ecology. MTE is part of a larger set of theory known as metabolic scaling theory that attempts to provide a unified theory for the importance of metabolism in driving pattern and process in biology from the level of cells all the way to the biosphere. MTE is based on an interpretation of the relationships between body size, body temperature, and metabolic rate across all organisms. Small-bodied organisms tend to have higher mass-specific metabolic rates than larger-bodied organisms. Furthermore, organisms that operate at warm temperatures through endothermy or by living in warm environments tend towards higher metabolic rates than organisms that operate at colder temperatures. This pattern is consistent from the unicellular level ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps with the closely related sciences of biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology, and natural history. Ecology is a branch of biology, and it is not synonymous with environmentalism. Among other things, ecology is the study of: * The abundance, biomass, and distribution of organisms in the context of the environment * Life processes, antifragility, interactions, and adaptations * The movement of materials and energy through living communities * The successional development of ecosystems * Cooperation, competition, and predation within and between species * Patterns of biodiversity and its effect on ecosystem processes Ecology has practical applications in conservation biology, wetland management, natural res ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]