Spatial prediction of soil qualitative variables using logistic regression and fuzzy techniques. Study region: Dobrovăţ basin (Central Moldavian Plateau)

Abstract

The present study attempts to test the performance of two statistical approaches, namely the binary logistic regression and fuzzy techniques for spatial prediction of soil types. The study area is Dobrovăţ basin, located in NE Romania, within the Central Moldavian Plateau. The input parameters are the digital elevation model, slope, topographic wetness index, mean annual temperatures and precipitations. The logistic regression approach proved successful in estimating the spatial probabilities of Aluviosols, Chernozems, Preluvosols and Luvosols and generally failed in predicting the locations of Phaeozems. The fuzzy approach, implemented through SoLIM software, proved successful in predicting the occurrences of Aluviosols and Luvisols. On the whole, both methods managed to assign the same soil type as in the soil survey map for 55-56% of the basin. Though it is clear that the approaches need to be further improved, they do present, in the authors opinion, potential for the purpose of predicting soil qualitative variables