Brian McNab

Brian K. McNab is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida. He earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin in 1962. McNab's academic interests center on the physiological ecology of vertebrates, with a focus on the comparative energetics of endotherms, particularly tropical birds and mammals, and the evolution of endothermy. His research investigates how ecological factors, phylogeny, body size, and food habits influence basal metabolic rates, energy expenditure, and physiological adaptations.

McNab has authored over 90 publications that have shaped understanding of bioenergetics across taxa. Key works include his book The Physiological Ecology of Vertebrates: A View from Energetics (Cornell University Press, 2002), which provides a comprehensive synthesis of metabolic principles. Influential papers encompass "Bioenergetics and the determination of home range size" (1963), linking energy budgets to spatial behavior; "On the ecological significance of Bergmann's rule" (1971); "Food habits, energetics, and the population biology of mammals" (1980); and "The influence of food habits on the energetics of eutherian mammals" (1986). Later contributions analyze avian BMR scaling (2009), mammalian BMR factors (2008), energetics of New Zealand ducks (2003), leaf-nosed bats (2003), flightless rails (2006), and carnivores (2005, 2011). His studies reveal patterns such as metabolic uniformity in marsupials, lower expenditures in island endemics, and convergence in specialized feeders, impacting views on distribution, reproduction, and conservation.

Professional Email: bkm@ufl.edu