Prediction of Soil Organic Carbon Content in Complex Vegetation Areas Based on CNN-LSTM Model

Synthesizing bare soil pictures in regions with complex vegetation is challenging, which hinders the accuracy of predicting soil organic carbon (SOC) in specific areas. An SOC prediction model was developed in this study by integrating the convolutional neural network and long and short-term memory network (CNN-LSTM) algorithms, taking into consideration soil-forming factors such as climate, vegetation, and topography in Hainan. Compared with common algorithmic models (random forest, CNN, LSTM), the SOC prediction model based on the CNN-LSTM algorithm achieved high accuracy (R² = 0.69, RMSE = 6.06 g kg⁻¹, RPIQ = 1.96). The model predicted that the SOC content ranged from 5.49 to 36.68 g kg⁻¹, with Hainan in the central and southern parts of the region with high SOC values and the surrounding areas with low SOC values, and that the SOC was roughly distributed as follows: high in the mountainous areas and low in the flat areas. Among the four models, CNN-LSTM outperformed LSTM, CNN, and random forest models in terms of R² accuracy by 11.3%, 23.2%, and 53.3%, respectively. The CNN-LSTM model demonstrates its applicability in predicting SOC content and shows great potential in complex areas where obtaining sample data is challenging and where SOC is influenced by multiple interacting factors. Furthermore, it shows significant potential for advancing the broader field of digital soil mapping.