Relatedly, here is an illustration of why I think individual welfare per fully-healthy-animal-year could be proportional to “metabolic energy consumption per unit time at rest”^”exponent”.
I have now estimated the total welfare of animal populations, trees, and bacteria and archaea based on the assumption above. I had recommended research informing how to increase the welfare of soil animals, but I am now more pessimistic about this. I currently think it is better to focus on decreasing the uncertainty about how the welfare per unit time of different organisms and digital systems compares with that of humans.
I have now estimated the total welfare of animal populations, trees, and bacteria and archaea based on the assumption above. I had recommended research informing how to increase the welfare of soil animals, but I am now more pessimistic about this. I currently think it is better to focus on decreasing the uncertainty about how the welfare per unit time of different organisms and digital systems compares with that of humans.