Standard metabolism 



Ideally the standard metabolism ratio should be an animal's metab- 

 olism under the simplest and least physiologically demanding condi- 

 tions. For animals other than mammals and birds the minimum metab- 

 olism of fasting individuals at a given temperature is referred to 

 as the standard metabolic rate . In the case of mammals and birds 

 these rates of fasting adult animals under no thermal stress are 

 usually referred to as the basal metabolic rate (Gordon 1972) . 



Weight specific metabolic rate 



For purposes of comparing organisms of different sizes, it is 

 often convenient to divide the 0_ consumed per hour by the weight of 

 the animal being measured (Volume 0^=ml 0^/g/hr) . This value is also 

 known as the weight-relative metabolic rate. 



A4 



