RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Water erosion assessment based on expert knowledge and limited information using an ordered logit model
JF Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
FD Soil and Water Conservation Society
SP 592
OP 599
VO 54
IS 3
A1 B.G.J.S. Sonneveld
A1 P.J. Albersen
YR 1999
UL http://www.jswconline.org/content/54/3/592.abstract
AB This paper presents a model that reproduces the qualitative water erosion assessment given by soil experts for different types of land use. The model uses limited information on land characteristics as explanatory variables, which makes it suitable for sites where lack of detailed data prevents the application of quantitative models. An ordered logit model is used to relate the qualitative ranked observations of the expert to independent variables on site characteristics and land use. The estimated model reproduces 78% (hit ratio) of the assessment by the expert. In 8% of the cases, the model gives a higher class and, more seriously, in 14% it yields one class lower. The model has a higher accuracy rate in predicting the presence or absence of erosion (hit ratio of 86%). However, it is less precise in distinguishing between higher erosion classes, probably due to perception differences among the experts on the degree of erosion.