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Use of Multi-Seasonal Satellite Images to Predict SOC from Cultivated Lands in a Montane Ecosystem

Authors :
Sushil Lamichhane
Lalit Kumar
Kabindra Adhikari
Source :
Remote Sensing, Vol 13, Iss 4772, p 4772 (2021), Remote Sensing; Volume 13; Issue 23; Pages: 4772
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

Although algorithms are well developed to predict soil organic carbon (SOC), selecting appropriate covariates to improve prediction accuracy is an ongoing challenge. Terrain attributes and remote sensing data are the most common covariates for SOC prediction. This study tested the predictive performance of nine different combinations of topographic variables and multi-season remotely sensed data to improve the prediction of SOC in the cultivated lands of a middle mountain catchment of Nepal. The random forest method was used to predict SOC contents, and the quantile regression forest for quantifying the prediction uncertainty. Prediction of SOC contents was improved when remote sensing data of multiple seasons were used together with the terrain variables. Remote sensing data of multiple seasons capture the dynamic conditions of surface soils more effectively than using an image of a single season. It is concluded that the use of remote sensing images of multiple seasons instead of a snapshot of a single period may be more effective for improving the prediction of SOC in a digital soil mapping framework. However, an image with the right timing of cropping season can provide comparable results if a parsimonious model is preferred.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20724292
Volume :
13
Issue :
4772
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Remote Sensing
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....b1003db82faf21a1164440f2c1a16664