Prediction of Soil Particle Size Fraction using Geographically Weighted Regression and Random Forest

Abstract

The development of spatial modeling for soil properties has progressed in recent decades. This responds to the growing demand for land spatial data and exact soil property prediction for agronomical reasons, particularly in precision farming, in order to speed up precision agricultural activities. In this regards a comparison of the GWR and RF models was carried out in order to determine which model is the best at forecasting surface soil texture and how dependable each model is at doing so. The purpose of this research is to get the best model in predicting particle soil fraction (PSF). 50 topsoil samples were collected from several locations in the Kalikonto Watershed, Indonesia, and the soil PSF (sand, silt, and clay) in the upper 10 cm varied. The LMV, slope, and elevation were calculated using DEM data and utilized as predictor variables. As a result, the weighting of the GWR model has a considerable impact on the final model, and all other factors have a major effect on the PSF determination. The RF, on the other hand, looks to be superior than the GWR variants. The RF model outperformed the other models in every PSF variable. This study reveals that topsoil quality and terrain attributes are linked, which may be assessed using field measurements and model projections. More research is needed to generate more efficient input parameters that will help with soil variability precision and accuracy of soil map products.