Characteristic sizes of life in the oceans, from bacteria to whales

RODRIGO J. GONÇALVES; S. HYLANDER; A. B. NEUHEIMER; F. PROWE; A. W. VISSER; T. BERGE; J. HEUSCHELE; E. A. MARTENS; K. H. ANDERSEN; A. PALACZ; M. HARTVIG; S. J. TRAVING; C. LINDEMANN; KIØRBOE, THOMAS; K. OLSSON; J. SAINMONT; N. WADHWA

ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE

ANNUAL REVIEWS

Lugar: Palo Alto, California; Año: 2016 vol. 8 p. 1 - 25

1941-1405

The size of an individual organism is a key trait to characterize itsphysiology and feeding ecology. Size-based scaling laws may have a limited sizerange of validity or undergo a transition from one scaling exponent to another atsome characteristic size. We collate and review data on size-based scaling laws forresource acquisition, mobility, sensory range, and progeny size for all pelagicmarine life, from bacteria to whales. Further, we review and develop simpletheoretical arguments for observed scaling laws and the characteristic sizes of achange or breakdown of power laws. We divide life in the ocean into seven majorrealms based on trophic strategy, physiology, and life history strategy. Such acategorization represents a move away from a taxonomically oriented descriptiontoward a trait-based description of life in the oceans. Finally, we discuss life formsthat transgress the simple size-based rules and identify unanswered questions.