Explainable Sinkhole Susceptibility Mapping Using Machine-Learning-Based SHAP: Quantifying and Comparing the Effects of Contributing Factors in Konya, Türkiye
Iban, Muzaffer Can
Sinkholes, naturally occurring formations in karst regions, represent a significant environmental hazard, threatening infrastructure, agricultural lands, and human safety. In recent years, machine learning (ML) techniques have been extensively employed for sinkhole susceptibility mapping (SSM). However, the lack of explainability inherent in these methods remains a critical issue for decision-makers. In this study, sinkhole susceptibility in the Konya Closed Basin was mapped using an interpretable machine learning model based on SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). The Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) algorithms were employed, and the interpretability of the model results was enhanced through SHAP analysis. Among the c...
Spatiotemporal Agricultural Drought Assessment and Mapping Its Vulnerability in a Semi-Arid Region Exhibiting Aridification Trends
Iban, Muzaffer Can
Agricultural drought, increasingly intensified by climate change, poses a significant threat to food security and water resources in semi-arid regions, including Türkiye’s Konya Closed Basin. This study evaluates six satellite-derived indices—Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), Evapotranspiration Condition Index (ETCI), and Soil Moisture Condition Index (SMCI)—to monitor agricultural drought (2001–2024) and proposes a drought vulnerability map using a novel Drought Vulnerability Index (DVI). Integrating Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Climate Hazards Center InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS), and Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS) datasets, the DVI combin...