Data Analysis and Presentation

This chapter discusses ways of analyzing and presenting metabolic data while avoiding common mistakes. Topics covered include vital information often omitted from manuscripts; how to analyze the allometry of metabolic rate on mass; the mistake of reporting mass-specific or “mass-independent” metabolic rates; methods for quantifying differences between treatment groups by analysis of covariance; the importance of phylogeny in interspecific comparisons; the importance of the temperature at which measurements are made, including mammals (the thermal neutral zone); the necessity of leaving an “audit trail” from raw data through to final analysis; analyzing temperature effects such as Q10 correctly; and the proper selection of metabolic data.