Statistical-spatial modeling of the potential of landslide occurrence in Yamchi catchment

This study aimed to systematically explain the potential of the landslide occurrence to provide a prediction model of the possibility of this phenomenon in the Yamchi catchment in Ardebil province. In this regard, both approaches of discrete and continuous variables were used by means of overlay and logistic regression, respectively. Independent variables included elevation, slope, aspect, lithology, annual rainfall, roughness, general curvature, topographic wetness index, vegetation index, distance to fault, distance to stream and distance to road. The results, firstly, revealed the areas with high landslide potential by the matching layers of independent variables with the landslide layer in the geographical information system (GIS). These areas were in the middle elevation, high slopes, northern slope, high roughness, erodible formations, high rainfall, medium vegetation, surroundings of faults and rivers. Secondly, the results of the logistics regression model by providing a prediction equation of probability of landslide occurrence showed that the resulting model with pseudo r2 and ROC 0.22 and 0.86, respectively, had good power and efficiency to predict landslide through the catchment. In addition, the resulting beta coefficients for independent variables indicated that the importance of the variables was as follows: vegetation index distance to road, rain, lithology, distance to fault, elevation, topographic wetness index, roughness index, aspect, slope, and distance to river. In the end, the need to pay serious attention to the supporting and protection of vegetation cover of the mid -range and upstream of the catchment was determined because of unstable geomorphic conditions of these areas.