Dynamic energy budget theory

Dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory is a way of explaining how living things use energy to grow, survive and reproduce. It's based on the idea that an organism needs to balance how much energy it takes in and how much it spends. The amount that an organism takes in will determine how much it can grow and the amount it spends will determine its ability to survive. To help balance this, DEB theory states that there are four main components that need to be taken into consideration: food uptake, energy storage, maintenance, and cost of reproduction. Food uptake is the amount of energy an organism takes in from its environment. Energy storage is any energy that the organism saves up for later use. Maintenance is the energy the organism uses to stay alive, such as repairing cells or keeping its body warm. And cost of reproduction is the energy the organism needs for things like creating offspring. All of these components work together to create a dynamic energy budget for the organism, which helps it maintain a balance between food uptake and energy expenditure.