Selection of both habitat and genes in specialized and endangered caribou

Genetic mechanisms determining habitat selection and specialization of individuals within species have been hypothesized, but not tested at the appropriate individual level in nature. In this work, we analyzed habitat selection for 139 GPS-collared caribou belonging to 3 declining ecotypes sampled throughout Northwestern Canada. We used Resource Selection Functions comparing resources at used and available locations. We found that the 3 caribou ecotypes differed in their use of habitat suggesting specialization. On expected grounds, we also found differences in habitat selection between summer and winter, but also, originally, among the individuals within an ecotype. We next obtained Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for the same caribou individuals, we detected those associated to habitat selection, and then identified genes linked to these SNPs. These genes had functions related in other organisms to habitat and dietary specializations, and climatic adaptations. We therefore suggest that individual variation in habitat selection was based on genotypic variation in the SNPs of individual caribou, indicating that genetic forces underlie habitat and diet selection in the species. We also suggest that the associations between habitat and genes that we detected may lead to lack of resilience in the species, thus contributing to caribou endangerment. Our work emphasizes that similar mechanisms may exist for other specialized, endangered species.     

IAFSA-GRNN在油田集输管道CO2腐蚀速率预测中的应用

为提高油田集输管道CO₂腐蚀速率预测的准确性,针对原始广义回归神经网络(GRNN)预测精度低的问题,提出改进的群智能算法优化原始GRNN的预测模型;分别使用GRNN模型、人工鱼群算法(AFSA)优化的GRNN(AFSA-GRNN)模型和自适应改进的AFSA-GRNN(IAFSA-GRNN)模型预测X65管线钢的CO₂腐蚀速率。结果表明:采用AFSA和IAFSA优化光滑因子S后,能大大提高GRNN模型的预测精度,预测结果的平均相对误差由36.09%分别减小至7.20%和6.90%;与AFSA相比,IAFSA优化的GRNN不仅具有更高的预测精度,还具有更快的收敛速度。AFSA-GRNN在第164次迭代计算时收敛,而IAFSA-GRNN在第109次迭代计算时收敛,说明AFSA经自适应优化能提高优化过程的收敛速度和GRNN的预测精度。