Allocation within a generic scaling framework

Abstract

Barnes and Roderick [Barnes, B., Roderick, M.L., 2004. An ecological framework linking scales across space and time based on self-thinning. Theoret. Popul. Biol. 66, 113–128] developed a generic ecological framework for scaling from individuals to ecosystems. Their approach is general and can be applied to predict above-ground, or total (above- and below-ground), dry mass. In practice, the most common situation is to measure above-ground dry mass, and apply an allometric relationship to estimate the below-ground component. In this paper we develop a general theory for incorporating the dynamics of plant partitioning into the generic framework. We consider the inclusion of allometric relationships between components (such as between roots and shoots), as well as process driven relationships, and illustrate the application of each case. Through this approach, local scale measurements and individual-based dynamic relationships pertaining to plant partitioning can be applied to an understanding of partitioning at the patch (or ecosystem) scale. Moreover, we also demonstrate that the empirically based allometric relationships have, in some circumstances, a physical explanation, providing biological meaning to empirically established allometric constants.