Estimation Issues in Allometric Scaling Models

Abstract Allometric scaling models are a common tool for describing and quantifying relationships between biological measurements. Recent years have seen a lively debate on the parameter values for certain relation-ships. For example, allometric scaling of basel metabolic rate with body mass has historically been found to follow Kleiber’s law, a 3/4 power relationship, in contrast to the 2/3 power expected from simple geometry. In this paper we examine some of the issues involved in estimating parameter values for power law models. We will illustrate some simple techniques that can be used to enrich this area of biological modelling