Within cells, mitochondria consume oxygen to generate cellular energy (ATP) needed for performance, heat useful for thermoregulation, and free radicals (ROS) involved in organism aging. Therefore, there is growing support in the literature that mitochondrial function is involved in many organismal performances and thus in life history traits.

My objective is to assess the relationship between mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters and body mass in endotherms, in order to provide a physiological basis for understanding the life history traits of organisms.