A New Method for Calculating Lotka’s r—The Intrinsic Rate of Growth in a Stable Population

Abstract

The determination of the intrinsic rate of increase in a stable population involves finding the real root r _o of the following integral equation :

$$\int\limits_0^\omega {e^{ - ra} } p(a)m(a)da = I$$

(I)

where r is the intrinsic rate of growth, p(a) is the probability of surviving to age a, and m(a) is the probability of giving birth to a female child at age a.

Population Studies 11: 92–94.