Biologists have long appreciated the critical role that energy turnover plays in understanding variation in performance and fitness among individuals. Whole-organism metabolic studies have provided key insights into fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. However, constraints operating at subcellular levels, such as those operating within the mitochondria, can also play important roles in optimizing metabolism over different energetic demands and time scales. Herein, we explore how mitochondrial aerobic metabolism influences different aspects of organismal performance, such as through changing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We consider how such insights have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning key ecological and evolutionary processes, from variation in life-history traits to adaptation to changing thermal conditions, and we highlight key areas for future research.

长期以来，生物学家一直很欣赏能量转换在理解个体表现和健康状况变化中所起的关键作用。全生物代谢研究为基本的生态学和进化过程提供了重要的见识。但是，在亚细胞水平上运行的约束（例如在线粒体内运行的约束）也可以在优化不同能量需求和时间范围内的代谢方面发挥重要作用。在这里，我们探索线粒体有氧代谢如何影响机体性能的不同方面，例如通过改变三磷酸腺苷（ATP）和活性氧（ROS）的产生。我们考虑了这些见解如何加深了我们对关键生态和进化过程的机制的理解，