This meta-study investigates the relationships between blood flow rate (Q̇ ; cm3 s−1), wall shear stress (τ; dyne cm−2) and lumen radius (ri; cm) in 20 named systemic arteries of nine species of mammals, weighing from 23 g mice to 652 kg cows, at rest. In the dataset, derived from 50 studies, lumen radius varies between 3.7 µm in a cremaster artery of a rat to 11.2 mm in the aorta of a human. The 92 logged data points of Q̇ and ri are described by a single second-order polynomial curve with the equation, log Q̇=−0.20 log ri2 +1.91 log ri+1.82. The slope of the curve increases from approximately 2 in the largest arteries to approximately 3 in the smallest ones. Thus, da Vinci's Rule (Q̇ ∝ ri2) applies to the main arteries and Murray's Law (Q̇ ∝ ri3) applies to the microcirculation. A subset of the data, comprising only cephalic arteries in which Q̇ is fairly constant, yielded the allometric power equation, Q̇=155 ri2.49. These empirical equations allow calculation of resting perfusion rates from arterial lumen size alone, without reliance on theoretical models or assumptions on the scaling of wall shear stress in relation to body mass. As expected, Q̇ of individual named arteries is strongly affected by body mass, however, Q̇ of the common carotid artery from six species (mouse to horse) is also sensitive to differences in whole-body basal metabolic rate, independent of the effect of body mass.
Interspecific scaling of blood flow rates and arterial sizes in mammals
2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist and winner
The JEB Editors are delighted to announce the shortlisted authors for the 2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize. Read the winning paper - Tiny spies: mosquito antennae are sensitive sensors for eavesdropping on frog calls - by Hoover Pantoja-Sanchez and Brian Leavell from Ximena Bernal's lab at Purdue University, USA.
JEB Science Communication Workshop for ECRs
If you’re an early-career researcher interested in science communication and are attending the SEB Annual Conference in Prague this summer, come a day early and join the JEB Editors at a sci comm workshop to learn the key writing skills needed to promote your research to a broad audience beyond your peers (1 July at 14.30-17.30). Places are limited to 24 attendees, and applicants should apply through the SEB registration page by 30 April 2024.
Bridging the gap between controlled conditions and natural habitats in understanding behaviour
Novel technologies enable behavioural experiments with non-model species, in naturalistic habitats and with underexplored behaviours. In their Commentary, Scholz and colleagues discuss how to obtain a deeper understanding of the natural ecology and lifestyle of study animals.
Beluga metabolic measures could help save species
To help save animals from extinction, it’s important to understand what each species needs to survive. This led Jason John et al. to measure the metabolic rates of captive belugas to develop a ‘fish calculator’ showing that the whales need to eat ~23 salmon per day.
ECR Workshop on Positive Peer Review
Are you an ECR looking for tips on how to write concise, astute and useful manuscript reviews? If so, join the JEB Editors at a 2-hour JEB-sponsored Workshop on Positive Peer Review at the Canadian Society of Zoologists annual meeting in Moncton on 9 May 2024 at 13.00-15.00. There are 25 spaces for ECRs and selection is first come, first serve. To sign up, check the ECR Workshop box when you register for the CSZ meeting.
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