J. Theoret. Bioi.

(1968) 21,42-44

Logistic Growth Rate Functions

A. A. BLUMBERG

Department of Chemistry, DePaul University,

Chicago, Illinois 60614, U.S.A.

(Received 12 January 1968, and in revisedform 28 April 1968)

Assuming an S-shaped population or organism size versus time curve and

a growth rate law of the form
dP/dt = constant XPa(P, -P)b
where P is the population or size at any time, t, and P, is the limiting
population at infinite time, several methods are available for evaluating
the exponential pair (a, b). At the inflexion a simple relation exists
between P/Pm and the pair. In addition the rate equation can be converted
to an integral function from which, in turn, the best pair to describe the
growth rate can be obtained graphically. The integral function for
(a, b) = (1, l), (2, l), (2, 2), (& l), (3/2, 1) and (2/3, 1) are given. Identity
relations permit easy calculation of the functions for the conjugate pairs
@, 4.

1. Introduction
The growth in time of population and organism size is commonly described
by an ogive or S-shaped curve where the limiting initial and final growth
rates are zero and where there is an inflexion at some intermediate time
(Pearl, 1925; Bayliss, 1960). A number of equations have been proposed to
account for the shape of these growth curves (Brody, 1945; Gompertz, 1825;
Laird, Tyler & Barton, 1965; Von Bertalanffy, 1960; Fabens, 1965).
A logistic growth rate equation
dW/dt = kW(A- W)
where W is, for example, the organism mass, has an inflexion at W = A/2,
half the limiting final mass (Robertson, 1923). Unfortunately the inflexion
is not alway found at that value. To remedy this the rate “constant” has been
given a time-dependent polynomial form and from this the many-parameter
equation of Pearl & Reed (1923) follows. This has been used especially in
population work and often leads to underestimation of future values (Lotka,
1956).
The subject of this paper is a logistic growth equation of the form
dP/dt = ~QP”(P, -P)”
42
 LOGISTIC GROWTH RATE FUNCTIONS 43
where k,,, is a time-independent growth constant and P, is the limiting value
of the growth variable, P. For convenience the reduced population p = P/P,
is defined and the rate equation becomes
dp/dt = k,,,P”,+*-‘~“(1 -p)“.
At the inflexion p = a/(a+b).

2. The Growth Equations

dp=ka,bp~+‘b-l
s-__
The differential equation can be rearranged and integrated,

t
d(1 -P)*
+ constant

and the integral on the left-hand-side can be represented by F(a, b; p).

These identities are evident
F(b,a;p) = -F(a,b;l-p)
F(a, b;p) = F(a-1, b;p) + F(a, b-l;p)
1 1
F(a,l;p)=F(a-l,l;p)+---
l-a p’-’
1 1
F(l,b;p)=F(l,b-l;p)+---
l-b (l-p)*+

There are several techniques available to determine the kinetic order para-
meters (a, b).
Although there is not a one-to-one correspondence between the p-value
at inflexion and the proper kinetic pair (a, b), there being several parameter
pairs corresponding to a single inflexion p-value, nevertheless, a wider
range of inflexion points is available through this more general rate equation
than is offered by the original Robertson (1923) formulation with (a, b) =
(1, 1).
Where the population or organism size is known as a function of time the
functions F(a, b; p) can be computed at each p and t for the several (a, b)
pairs. The several functions F(a, b;p) are plotted in a graph against time.
A linear plot will be seen for that (a, b) pair which describes the growth law.
From the identity relationships it is evident that only a single (a, 6) and its
conjugate, (b, a) can correspond to a function linear in time. A decision
between (a, b) and (b, a) is simple: only one can correspond to a positive
value for the constant, k,,*. A table of functions is presented in the next
section. The identity relations reduce the labor of calculating F(a, b;p)
values.
44 A. A. BLUMBERG

3. The Integral Fbnctions

The table lists the functions F(u, b; p) for several (a, b) pairs, and the
p-values for time-origin so that the constant-of-integration is zero.

TABLE 1.

p for time-origin so
a b Fta. b ; P) integration-constant
is zero

1 1 lnp-ln(l-p) t
2 1 lnp-ln(l-p)-l/p 0.7822. . .
1 2 lnp-lntl -p)+ll(l -p) 0.2178. , .
2 2 2mp-2In(l-p)+1/(1-p)-l/p t
3:2 1 2ln(l+p*)-(ln
tanh-I@‘)-2p- 1-p’) * = 2 tanh-I@+) 0
0.6948 ...
213 1 (~)h1(l-p)-(3/2)ln(l--p~~~)+tan-~((1+2p~~~)3-*) -
1 1 W/t1 -P)) t
2 1 W/(1 -P)) - VP 0.7822
1 2 w/t1 -p))+ l/U -P) 0.2178
f 21 hl((l+p’)/(l-p’))
2NPm-P))+m-P)--/P = 2 tanh-‘p’ 0i
312 1 2 tanh-lp*-2/p* 0.6948
213 1 + In[(l -p)/(l -p1’3)3]+tan-1((1 +2~“~)/3*) -

The group of growth laws with (a, b) = (2/3, b) where b is some integer or
half-integer has been investigated for heterogeneous kinetic processes
(Blumberg & Stavrinou, 1960; Nielsen, 1959). Nielsen (1964) lists the integral
functions where a = 213 and b = 1, 2,3 and 4, and the numerical values of
the functions where (a, b) = (l/3, l), (2/3, l), (2/3,2), (2/3,3) and (2/3,4).

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