Allometry: Size and its consequences or…Why aren’t there 20 foot tall ants?

 

Susan Schenk

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2005, Volume 26

Abstract

Evolution has resulted in changes in the sizes and forms of organisms. Everything about the biology of an animal, including its physiology, anatomy, and ecology, is influenced by its body size. Frequently there seem to be limits on the sizes that different organisms can attain, even when larger size might be thought to be evolutionarily advantageous. Often an increase or decrease in size is correlated with a change in proportions. Understanding the significance of a particular morphology or interpreting the factors that underlie a particular evolutionary trend involve studying the relationships that exist among size, shape, and function. This lab introduces allometry, the study of size and its consequences, using celery and woodlice as subjects.

Keywords:  allometry, body size, natural selection, woodlice, form, function

Bowling Green State University, Ohio (2004)