Compensatory growth, known as catch-up growth and compensatory gain, is an accelerated growth of an organism following a period of slowed development, particularly as a result of nutrient deprivation.[1][2] The growth may be with respect to weight or length (or height in humans).[1][3][4][5][6][7][8] For example, the body weights of animals who experience nutritional restriction will often over time become similar to those of animals who did not experience such stress.[1] It is possible for high compensatory growth rates to result in overcompensation, where the organism exceeds normal weight and often has excessive fat deposition.[9]
An organism can recover to normal weight without additional time.[1] Sometimes when the nutrient restriction is severe, the growth period is extended to reach the normal weight.[1] If the nutrient restriction is severe enough, the organism may have permanent stunted growth where it does not ever reach normal weight.[1] Usually in animals, complete recovery from carbohydrate and protein restriction occurs.[9]
^ abWilson, P.; Osbourn, D. (1960). "Compensatory growth after undernutrition in mammals and birds". Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 35 (3): 324–363. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185x.1960.tb01466.x. PMID13785698.
^Radder, R. S.; Warner, D. A.; Shine, R. (2007). "Compensating for a bad start: Catch-up growth in juvenile lizards (Amphibolurus muricatus, agamidae)". Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology. 307A (9): 500–508. doi:10.1002/jez.403. PMID17620280.
^Mikola J. & H. Setala (1998), "No evidence of tropic cascades in an experimental microbial-based food web", Ecology, 79: 153–164, doi:10.2307/176871, JSTOR176871