A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is vital for the global carbon cycle, agricultural sustainability, and climate change. Process-based models like Rothamsted carbon model (RothC) simulate SOC dynamics, but their accuracy relies on revisited soil samples for calibration, which are often scarce, especially in...

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Main Authors: Wenkai Cui, Lin Yang, Lei Zhang, Chenconghai Yang, Chenxu Zhu, Chenghu Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156984322500189X
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author Wenkai Cui
Lin Yang
Lei Zhang
Chenconghai Yang
Chenxu Zhu
Chenghu Zhou
author_facet Wenkai Cui
Lin Yang
Lei Zhang
Chenconghai Yang
Chenxu Zhu
Chenghu Zhou
author_sort Wenkai Cui
collection DOAJ
description Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is vital for the global carbon cycle, agricultural sustainability, and climate change. Process-based models like Rothamsted carbon model (RothC) simulate SOC dynamics, but their accuracy relies on revisited soil samples for calibration, which are often scarce, especially in environmentally heterogeneous regions. This study proposes a novel approach to generate pseudo revisited samples using environmental similarity, addressing the lack of revisited samples. For each intervening-year sample, pseudo SOC stocks in unsampled years were constructed by calculating environmental similarity with existing samples and applying weighted averaging. These pseudo SOC stocks served as revisited samples for model calibration. Bayesian optimization was used to adjust RothC’s microbial activity parameters. Validation results showed the approach significantly improved predictive accuracy, with an RMSE of 5.28 t/ha (31.6 % lower than global parameter optimization and 10.7 % lower than spatiotemporal Random Forest) and an R2 improved from 0.319 (spatiotemporal Random Forest) to 0.456. The approach enhances SOC model accuracy by leveraging environmental similarity and parameter optimization, offering a practical solution for regions lacking revisited samples and improving long-term SOC dynamics simulations. This approach not only addresses data scarcity but also provides more reliable predictions for climate and agricultural management.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1569-8432
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
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spelling doaj-art-786ecffd584a42dd93789b396107fbcc2025-08-20T02:31:22ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation1569-84322025-05-0113910454210.1016/j.jag.2025.104542A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modellingWenkai Cui0Lin Yang1Lei Zhang2Chenconghai Yang3Chenxu Zhu4Chenghu Zhou5School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Corresponding author.School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaSoil Organic Carbon (SOC) is vital for the global carbon cycle, agricultural sustainability, and climate change. Process-based models like Rothamsted carbon model (RothC) simulate SOC dynamics, but their accuracy relies on revisited soil samples for calibration, which are often scarce, especially in environmentally heterogeneous regions. This study proposes a novel approach to generate pseudo revisited samples using environmental similarity, addressing the lack of revisited samples. For each intervening-year sample, pseudo SOC stocks in unsampled years were constructed by calculating environmental similarity with existing samples and applying weighted averaging. These pseudo SOC stocks served as revisited samples for model calibration. Bayesian optimization was used to adjust RothC’s microbial activity parameters. Validation results showed the approach significantly improved predictive accuracy, with an RMSE of 5.28 t/ha (31.6 % lower than global parameter optimization and 10.7 % lower than spatiotemporal Random Forest) and an R2 improved from 0.319 (spatiotemporal Random Forest) to 0.456. The approach enhances SOC model accuracy by leveraging environmental similarity and parameter optimization, offering a practical solution for regions lacking revisited samples and improving long-term SOC dynamics simulations. This approach not only addresses data scarcity but also provides more reliable predictions for climate and agricultural management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156984322500189XSoil organic carbon (SOC)Pseudo revisited samplesThird law of geography (similar principle)Environmental similarityRothamsted carbon model (RothC)
spellingShingle Wenkai Cui
Lin Yang
Lei Zhang
Chenconghai Yang
Chenxu Zhu
Chenghu Zhou
A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
Soil organic carbon (SOC)
Pseudo revisited samples
Third law of geography (similar principle)
Environmental similarity
Rothamsted carbon model (RothC)
title A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
title_full A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
title_fullStr A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
title_full_unstemmed A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
title_short A novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space-time soil organic carbon modelling
title_sort novel approach of generating pseudo revisited soil sample data based on environmental similarity for space time soil organic carbon modelling
topic Soil organic carbon (SOC)
Pseudo revisited samples
Third law of geography (similar principle)
Environmental similarity
Rothamsted carbon model (RothC)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156984322500189X
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