Resolving the Optimal Selection of a Natural Reserve using the Particle Swarm Optimisation by Applying Transfer Functions

The optimal selection of a natural reserve (OSRN) is an optimisation problem with a binary domain. To solve this problem the metaheuristic algorithm Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) has been chosen. The PSO algorithm has been designed to solve problems in real domains. Therefore, a transfer method has been applied that converts the equations with real domains of the PSO algorithm into binary results that are compatible with the OSRN problem. Four transfer functions have been tested in four case studies to solve the OSRN problem. According to the tests carried out, it is concluded that two of the four transfer functions are apt to solve the problem of optimal selection of a natural reserve.