Testing the allometric scaling laws

Allometric scaling laws have received increasing attention due to the recent theoretical advancements. However, existing evidence suggests that the scaling relationships may vary a lot without much consistency, which poses a challenge to the applicability of general theories. In this report, I demonstrate that much of the discrepancy may be an artefact caused by the limited use of methods for estimating the parameters in the allometric scaling equations. I suggest alternative procedures that can be utilized to avoid biased interpretations. The comments are largely applicable to any research that involves parameterization of equations.