Comparison of machine learning models for gully erosion susceptibility mapping

© 2019 China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University Gully erosion is a disruptive phenomenon which extensively affects the Iranian territory, especially in the Northern provinces. A number of studies have been recently undertaken to study this process and to predict it over space and ultimately, in a broader national effort, to limit its negative effects on local communities. We focused on the Bastam watershed where 9.3% of its surface is currently affected by gullying. Machine learning algorithms are currently under the magnifying glass across the geomorphological community for their high predictive ability. However, unlike the bivariate statistical models, their structu…