The slope of speed on frequency is lower in small crouched animals than in large-bodied erect species. Such movements reduce substrate oscillations on thin arboreal supports and/or helps to reduce swing phase costs. In contrast, regulating speed through stride length is closely tied to larger arboreal animals with relatively extended limbs.
Such a strategy is energetically costly, but results in greater locomotor maneuverability and greater stability. We observed that crouched terrestrial species tend to regulate speed through stride frequency.
In this study, we explored the interrelationships between these three variables across a sample of 103 tetrapods and assessed whether speed regulation strategy is influenced by mechanical, allometric, phylogenetic or ecological factors. While the relationship between these variables has been well documented, it remains unresolved whether animals primarily modify stride frequency or stride length to increase speed.
Speed regulation in animals involves stride frequency and stride length.
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