Elephant Shrew and Elephant <images>
Hummingbird and Ostrich <images>
Rock Crab and Alaskan King Crab <images>
As well as having effects at the cellular level of organization, size and scale impact living things at the level of individual organisms.
The effects of size and scale do not impact living things only at the level of cells. There is an optimal size or modest range of sizes for each animal design. If the size of an animal falls outside of that range, either the design must change--at least in proportions--or the animal's mode or pace of living must be adjusted.
Q: Can you predict how being larger or smaller might affect each of the following problems common to all animals?
Dealing with water |
Coping with heat & cold |
Finding enough food |
Not becoming food |
Coping with gravity &c. |