The Economics of Gigantism and Mammalian Evolution | Prothero Analysis

The article analyzes the phenomenon of gigantism in Pleistocene mammals, treating body size as a biological exchange contract. The author explains that large body mass allowed animals to more efficiently process low-quality food and achieve better thermoregulation, which was crucial in the harsh conditions of the mammoth steppe. However, allometry influenced reproduction rates and the vulnerability of populations to habitat fragmentation. Isotopic analysis has demonstrated a precise division of ecological niches between species, enabling the coexistence of enormous biomass within a limited area. Gigantism was therefore not a biological luxury, but a strategic economic adaptation allowing for the optimal use of resources under the specific climatic and atmospheric conditions of the late Quaternary.