MacMillen R E
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 92717, Irvine, CA, USA.
Oecologia. 1981 Jul;49(3):340-343. doi: 10.1007/BF00347595.
Among four species of Hawaiian Honeycreepers, three from Hawaii (Vestiaria coccinea, 15.0 g; Himatione sanguinea, 12.9 g; Loxops virens, 10.7 g) and one from Kauai (Loxops parva, 7.9 g), standard metabolic rate (in ml O/g·h) was positively related to body mass, the opposite of that predicted by conventional endothermic allometry. SMR of V. coccinea conformed to the predicted value, but in the remaining species was progressively reduced below expected levels as body mass decreased. All four species occur predominantly in Metrosideros collina forests, where their preferred food is the nectar of its blooms. At least on Hawaii and during periods of moderate bloom the species are aligned along a dominance hierarchy, with the largest species most dominant and most successful at nectar exploitation. I believe that nonconformancy of SMR with body mass in the smaller species reflects an energy-conserving measure, the degree of which is dictated by social position and relative success in nectar exploitation.
在四种夏威夷蜜旋木雀中，三种来自夏威夷（猩红管舌鸟，15.0克；红喉管舌鸟，12.9克；绿背拟管舌鸟，10.7克），一种来自考艾岛（小拟管舌鸟，7.9克），其标准代谢率（毫升氧气/克·小时）与体重呈正相关，这与传统恒温动物异速生长法预测的情况相反。猩红管舌鸟的标准代谢率符合预测值，但在其余物种中，随着体重下降，标准代谢率逐渐低于预期水平。所有这四个物种主要生活在山地铁心木森林中，它们偏爱的食物是这种树花的花蜜。至少在夏威夷以及花期适中的时期，这些物种按照优势等级排列，体型最大的物种最具优势，在花蜜获取方面也最成功。我认为较小物种的标准代谢率与体重不符反映了一种节能措施，其程度由社会地位和花蜜获取的相对成功率决定。
