Testing the energetic equivalence rule with helminth endoparasites of vertebrates

George-Nascimento, M; Muñoz G.; Marquet, PA; Poulin, R.

Abstract

As a general test of the energetic equivalence rule, we examined macroecological relationships among abundance, density and host body mass in a comparative analysis of the assemblages of trophically transmitted endoparasitic helminths of 131 species of vertebrate hosts. Both the numbers and total volume of parasites per gram of host decreased allometrically with host body mass, with slopes roughly consistent with those expected from the allometric relationship between host basal metabolic rate and body mass. From an evolutionary perspective, large body size may therefore allow hosts to escape from the deleterious effects of parasitism.

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Título según WOS: Testing the energetic equivalence rule with helminth endoparasites of vertebrates
Título según SCOPUS: Testing the energetic equivalence rule with helminth endoparasites of vertebrates
Título de la Revista: ECOLOGY LETTERS
Volumen: 7
Número: 7
Editorial: WILEY-BLACKWELL
Fecha de publicación: 2004
Página de inicio: 527
Página final: 531
Idioma: English
URL: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00609.x
DOI:

10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00609.x

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS