Lecturer: Bas Kooijman
Affiliation: Dept Theoretical Biology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Seminar: Department of Engineering Cybernetics;
   The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim
Date: 2007/11/01
Title: Dynamic Energy Budget theory for metabolic organisation 
       and its applications in fishery sciences

Abstract:
Metabolic organization of individual organisms is basic to life. It
seems to follow simple quantitative rules that can be understood from
basic physical chemical principles. These rules quantify how
individuals acquire and utilize energy and nutrients, while cycling
through their life stages. Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory
identifies the most basic rules, and links them together in a
consistent framework.

The DEB theory applies to all species of organisms (unicellular
as well as multicellular ones) and links various levels of biological
organization; this multi-level approach is considered to be essential
for the understanding of life processes. Many popular empirical models
turn out to be special cases of the standard DEB model, or very
close numerical approximations. 

The lecture will discuss te following topics
 - evolutionary aspects of metabolic organisation
 - the standard DEB model: homeostasis & indirect calorimetry
 - product formation
 - allocation and the growth of body parts in relation to their function
 - effects of social behaviour on feeding
 - reading the otolith: from opacity to food density
 - body size scaling relationships

More information about research on DEB theory can be found at
  http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/deb/

A general introductory paper to the DEB theory can be found at
  http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/research/bib/Kooy2001.html