SCALING OF BIOLOGICAL SPACE AND TIME: VOLUME TO SURFACE RATIO IN LIVING ORGANISMS IS PROPORTIONAL TO LIFESPAN

The manuscript presents a relationship between volume to surface ratio and biological time (generation time and lifespan) in 223 organisms (Unicellular organisms, Poikilotherms, Mammals and Aves) with 22 order of magnitude variation between body mass. The study shows that in unicellular and multicellular organisms the volume to surface ratio V×S-1 (m) is proportional to generation time and lifespan Tls(s) as: V×S-1 = avst×Tls 0. 915 with correlation coefficient R2=0.931. The coefficient avst=8.993×10-11(m·s-1) has a dimension of speed and appears relatively constant parameter in comparison to 22 orders of magnitude variation between body mass of organisms. On cellular level avst has a biological sense of speed of volume/surface ratio change, during growth and multiplication of cells by binary. The equation between volume/surface ratio and lifespan relates to some scientific problems, connecting with body size, form and time in living organisms.