title: Passerines versus nonpasserines: so far, no statistical differences in the scaling of avian energetics.
abstract: We analyzed and compared the scaling of both basal and maximal thermogenic metabolic rates in passerine and nonpasserine birds using conventional and phylogenetic methods. In spite of the presumed adaptive importance of both metabolic traits, few studies concerning both their relationships and their ecological and evolutionary constraints have been conducted. We found no statistical differences in the scaling of maximal metabolic rate between passerines and nonpasserines; hence, we suggest the use of a single allometric regression for this trait in birds. In addition, basal and maximal metabolic rates were indeed correlated after removing the effects of body mass and phylogeny. The apparent generality of this correlation within both birds and mammals reinforces the need for general ecological and physiological explanations for the evolution of endothermy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Enrico L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: F Fernando
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Novoa
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bozinovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D020308:Songbirds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity