Final answer:
Allometry is the term for the predictable changes in morphological and physiological features as a function of body size, which maintains the proportion size relationship of an organism's body parts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The predictable change in morphological and physiological features as a function of body size is referred to as allometry. This concept is essential in understanding how animals grow and maintain proportionate shapes as they increase in size. Allometry reflects the proportion size relationship of different parts of an organism's body in relation to the whole. For example, as a mammal grows, not all parts of its body will increase in size at the same rate. Certain aspects like limb length, muscle mass, and organ size may scale at different rates, which can greatly affect the animal's overall function and homeostasis.
Morphology, which describes the form and structure of organisms, is greatly impacted by allometric growth. This concept helps to explain a wide range of biological phenomena, from how the shapes of bones change to maintain support in growing bodies, to how basal metabolic rate (BMR) can differ among various sized animals. Allometry is also visible in the context of evolution, with processes such as sexual selection influencing the physical traits of species over time.