home-range size and, 225–227

Humboldt’s research, 212–213

limits of current knowledge, 245–248

metabolism and, 202–203, 227–229

mid-domain effect, 217–219

neutral ecology model, 196–197, 198–199, 219, 237

niche model, 177–179, 181, 186–187, 202

power laws, 187–188

predator effects, 190

probability modeling, 193–194

resource competition and sharing models, 177, 178, 179, 180–186

size of ecological zone and, 224–227

size of living things and, 233

unifying theory, 202–203

universal biodiversity number, 195–196

Biological scaling, 3, 239–240

biomechanical correlations, 80

four-dimensional conceptualization, 85, 113–114

fractal geometry and, 90, 127

network modeling, 102, 108, 110–111

patterns, 78–79

in single-cell organisms, 116–119

Biology, science of

consistency of rules in, 43–44

generalization in, 232–233, 235–240

government support, 87–88

historical development, 5–6, 11–12

information in, 244–245

limits of current knowledge, 245–248

mathematics and, 2, 18–19, 23–25, 88, 242–243

pattern recognition in, 235–236

physics and, 18, 97–98, 231–232, 234–235, 237

Thompson’s mathematical studies, 12–23

vitalist philosophy, 2, 15

Biomechanics, 80, 81–82

Blood supply, 90–92, 103, 114–115

animal size and, 107–108

fluid dynamics, 108–110

fractal geometry, 106–107, 108, 115

Blum, Jacob, 85

Body size

allometric measurement, 58–61

biodiversity and, 93–94, 233

bone structure and, 39–40

cell biology and, 72, 73

drug dosing considerations, 69

ecological research, 94–95

ecological resource competition and, 181–182

energy metabolism and, 38–40, 41, 44–50, 57, 73–78, 134

environment and, 41–44

evolutionary patterns, 42

in food chains, 176

forest growth patterns, 153–154, 167–168, 169

harvesting and, 125–126

home-range size and, 160–161

individual development and, 123, 125–126, 128–129

life span and, 88–89, 142–143

limits of tree growth, 163–164

niche model of biodiversity and, 181, 182

organ size and, 73

population density and, 154–162

prospects for cross-species model of metabolism, 83–85

reproductive biology and, 131

resource distribution network design and, 107–108

risk of extinction and, 95–96

significance of, in biological research, 3–4, 39

Boecklen, William, 184

Bolivar, Simon, 209

Boltzmann, Ludwig, 3

Boltzmann factor, 119, 120

Bone structure

biomechanics, 81–82

body size and, 39–40