Using the Boruta algorithm and deep learning models for mapping land susceptibility to atmospheric dust emissions in Iran

Wind erosion have many negative effects on global terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and these phenomena are controlled by several factors including climatic, meteorological, topographic, vegetation, surface and soil characteristics. This study applied, for the first time, the Boruta algorithm for identification of effective variables controlling wind erosion. The novelty of the study was increased further using application of two deep learning (DL) models comprising a simple recurrent neural network (RNN) and restricted boltzmann machine (RBM). Collectively, these tools were used to map land susceptibility to wind erosion in parts of Kerman province, southeastern Iran. Among 18 potential variables for controlling dust emissions via wind erosion, 4 and 14 were identified as non-important and important, respectively, by the Boruta algorithm, while three (precipitation, digital elevation model and soil organic carbon) were selected as the most important factors. An inventory map of the wind erosion confirmed using both a test dataset (30%) and a training dataset (70%) was used to construct predictive models of land susceptibility to wind erosion. Both DL predictive models exhibited highly satisfactory performance according to a Taylor diagram, but the simple RNN performed slightly better than RBM. Based on the simple RNN, 35.6%, 5%, 2.4%, 22.7% and 34.3% of the total study area were characterized by very low, low, moderate, high and very high susceptibility, respectively. Convergent prediction of the same susceptibility classes by intersecting the maps generated by both models classified 17.4%, 0.07%, 0.06%, 7.4% and 34% of the total study area as very low, low, moderate, high and very high susceptibility classes, respectively. We conclude that applying the Boruta algorithm and DL models as new methods in aeolian geomorphology, may provide accurate spatial maps of dust sources to help target mitigation of detrimental dust effects on climate, ecosystems and human health.