Evol Ecol Res 4: 61-77 (2002)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Power formula for Cope’s rule

Jerzy Trammer*

Institute of Geology, Warsaw University, Al. Z.wirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland


e-mail: trammer@geo.uw.edu.pl

ABSTRACT

Relative maximum body size (the ratio of maximum body size to the size of first species) in a radiating clade is a power function of diversity, so that relative maximum size increases approximatively with the square root of diversity. Thus, relative maximum body size increases at a decreasing rate with diversity. This relates to the whole spectrum of organisms of different complexity and ecology, from foraminiferans to vertebrates.

Keywords: allometry, body size, Cope’s rule, evolutionary size change.

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