Applying generalised allometric regressions to predict live body mass of tropical and temperate arthropods

Sohlström, Esra Helena; Marian, Lucas; Barnes, Andrew David; Haneda, Noor F.; Scheu, Stefan; Rall, Björn Christian; Brose, Ulrich; Jochum, Malte (9 April 2018). Applying generalised allometric regressions to predict live body mass of tropical and temperate arthropods (Unpublished) Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 10.1101/297697

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The ecological implications of body size extend from the biology of individual organisms to ecosystem-level processes. Measuring body mass for high numbers of invertebrates can be logistically challenging, making length-mass regressions useful for predicting body mass with minimal effort. However, standardised sets of scaling relationships covering a large range in body length, taxonomic groups, and multiple geographical regions are scarce. We collected 6293 arthropods from 19 higher-level taxa in both temperate and tropical locations to compile a comprehensive set of linear models relating live body mass to a range of predictor variables. For each individual, we measured live weight (hereafter, body mass), body length and width, and conducted linear regressions to predict body mass using body length, body width, taxonomic group and geographic region. Additionally, we quantified prediction error when using parameters from arthropods of a different geographic region. Incorporating body width into taxon- and region-specific length-mass regressions yielded the highest prediction accuracy for body mass. Using regression parameters from a different geographic location increased prediction error, causing over- or underestimation of body mass depending on geographical origin and whether body width was included. We present a comprehensive range of parameters for predicting arthropod body mass and provide guidance for selecting optimal scaling relationships. Given the importance of body mass for functional invertebrate ecology and a paucity of adequate regressions to predict arthropod body mass from different geographical regions, our study provides a long-needed resource for quantifying live body mass in invertebrate ecology research.

Item Type:

Working Paper

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Plant Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)

UniBE Contributor:

Jochum, Malte

Subjects:

500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

Publisher:

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

01 May 2018 11:30

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:12

Publisher DOI:

10.1101/297697

Additional Information:

bioRxiv (pronounced "bio-archive") is a free online archive and distribution service for unpublished preprints in the life sciences (https://www.biorxiv.org/about-biorxiv)

Uncontrolled Keywords:

allometric scaling; body size; insects; invertebrates; length-mass regression

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.114639

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/114639

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