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Stoichiometry of endothermy : shifting the quest from nitrogen to carbon
journal contribution
posted on 2008-08-01, 00:00 authored by Marcel KlaassenMarcel Klaassen, B NoletFor many animals, notably herbivores, plants are often an inadequate food source given the low content of protein and high content of C-rich material. This conception is mainly based on studies on ectotherms. The validity of this conception for endotherms is unclear given their much higher carbon requirements for maintenance energy metabolism than ectotherms. Applying stoichiometric principles, we hypothesized that endotherms can cope with diets with much higher (metabolizable) carbon to nitrogen ratios than ectotherms. Using empirical data on birds, eutherian mammals, marsupials and reptiles, we compiled and compared measurements and allometric equations for energy metabolism as well as nitrogen requirements. Our analysis supports our hypothesis that plants, and especially their leaves, are generally sufficiently rich in nitrogen to fulfil protein demands in endotherms, at least during maintenance conditions, but less so in ectotherms. This has important implications with respect to community functioning and the evolution of endothermy.
History
Journal
Ecology lettersVolume
11Issue
8Pagination
785 - 792Publisher
Wiley-BlackwellLocation
Oxford, EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1461-023XeISSN
1461-0248Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2008, Blackwell PublishingUsage metrics
Keywords
biological stoichiometryC : N ratioenergy requirementsevolution of endothermyN : C rationitrogen requirementsScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineEcologyEnvironmental Sciences & EcologyGREYLAG GEESEDIETCONSTRAINTSBIRDSTERRESTRIALMETABOLISMENERGETICSDINOSAURSEVOLUTIONENERGYEvolutionary BiologyEcology
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