Age-specific growth, reproductive values, and intrinsic r

The age-specific growth function of an observed population and the reproductive value function based on the population´s current vital rates determine the intrinsic rate of growth implied by those vital rates through the simple relationship given in equation (1). That equation establishes the analytical significance of age-specific growth, and leads to relationships that quantify a population´s approach to stability and that specify the extraordinarily close connection between reproductive values and population momentum.