The evolution of biological scaling

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This project aims to understand why so few biological traits scale proportionally with body size. In contrast to previous mechanistic studies of this longstanding question, the problem will be approached from an evolutionary viewpoint, using artificial selection to engineer animals in which biological scaling laws are either broken or enhanced. By measuring the consequences of this for fitness, the project will provide a new understanding of how organismal size and physiology evolve in nature. The approach should provide significant benefits to our understanding of the role of genetic constraints in hindering or facilitating biological adaptation, furthering our understanding of the capacity of animals to respond to environmental change.