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1 January 2020 Conversion Between Soil Texture Classification Systems Using the Random Forest Algorithm
Milan Cisty, Lubomir Celar, Peter Minaric
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Abstract

This study focuses on the reclassification of a soil texture system following a hybrid approach in which the conventional particle-size distribution (PSD) models are coupled with a random forest (RF) algorithm for achieving more generally applicable and precise outputs. The existing parametric PSD models that could be used for this purpose have various limitations; different models frequently show unequal degrees of precision in different soils or under different environments. The authors present in this article a novel ensemble modeling approach in which the existing PSD models are used as ensemble members. An improvement in precision was proved by better statistical indicators for the results obtained, and the article documents that the ensemble model worked better than any of its constituents (different existing parametric PSD models). This study is verified by using a soil dataset from Slovakia, which was originally labeled by a national texture classification system, which was then transformed to the USDA soil classification system. However, the methodology proposed could be used more generally, and the information provided is also applicable when dealing with the soil texture classification systems used in other countries.

© 2015 SAGE Publications. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Milan Cisty, Lubomir Celar, and Peter Minaric "Conversion Between Soil Texture Classification Systems Using the Random Forest Algorithm," Air, Soil and Water Research 8(1), (1 January 2020). https://doi.org/10.1177/ASWR.S31924
Received: 17 July 2015; Accepted: 16 October 2015; Published: 1 January 2020
KEYWORDS
Data-driven modeling
ensemble model
particle-size distribution
Random Forests
soil texture
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