(Solved): Both of these graphs display the basal metabolic rate of various mammals based on their mass, yet th ...

Expert Answer

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BMR and body size.
The two graphs you mentioned represent the relationship between basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body size for various mammals. However, they show different curves because they are measuring different aspects of the relationship.
(a) Relationship of basal metabolic rate (BMR) to body size for various mammals: This graph represents the relationship between BMR and body size, where the BMR is plotted on a logarithmic scale. The x-axis represents the body mass of the mammals, also on a logarithmic scale. The data points are scattered, but the best-fit line shows an upward trend, indicating that larger mammals generally have higher BMRs. In other words, as body size increases, the BMR tends to increase as well.
(b) Relationship of BMR per kilogram of body mass to body size: This graph focuses on the relationship between BMR per kilogram of body mass and body size. Here, the x-axis represents body mass on a logarithmic scale, and the y-axis represents BMR per kilogram of body mass. The best-fit line in this graph shows a relatively flat curve, indicating that BMR per kilogram of body mass does not change significantly with body size.
The important difference between these two graphs lies in the way the data is normalized. In the first graph, the BMR values are not adjusted for body size, while in the second graph, the BMR values are divided by the body mass of the animals. This normalization accounts for the fact that larger animals typically have greater overall energy requirements due to their larger bodies.
The impact on the energy budgets of these animals can be explained as follows: