Measurement of the energy available for growth,
termed scope for growth, provides a rapid and quantitative
assessment of the energy status of the animal as
well as insight into the individual components (and
mechanism of toxicity) which affect changes in growth
rate (Widdows 1985a). The measurement of changes in
physiological energetics of individual animals should
form an important component of any toxicological or
environmental monitoring programme, for it represents
an integration of the wide variety of possible cellular
responses (both detrimental and beneficial). Growth
rate is an overall measure of performance that is readily
interpretable (beneficial when increased or detrimental
when decreased) and related to ecological consequences
at the population and community levels of
organization.