Response to Chi, Mou, Lee and Smith

Abstract

In our article, "Invariance of demographic parameters using total or viable eggs" by C. Hernandez-Suarez, P. Medone and J. E. Rabinovich (this issue), we provide three different mathematical proofs that the net reproductive rate (Ro) will yield the same result using total or viable eggs, as long as the participating stages are defined accordingly. Thus, Ro can be defined as the "number of eggs that will replace each initial egg of a cohort in the period of one generation", the "number of viable eggs that will replace each viable egg in the period of one generation", the "number of adults that will replace each adult in the period of one generation" and so on.