1. This study evaluated seven machine learning algorithms to predict soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration from hyperspectral reflectance.
2. The performance of airborne and spaceborne data for predicting surface SOC was assessed using a continental-scale soil library.
3. Results showed that Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) achieved the best predictive performance for quantifying SOC concentration, and that shortwave infrared is vital for hyperspectral sensors to monitor surface SOC.
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the potential of hyperspectral reflectance coupled with machine learning to predict soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration. The authors have used a large soil library to evaluate seven machine learning algorithms, as well as twelve airborne and spaceborne hyper/multi-spectral remote sensing data from surface bare soil laboratory spectra to assess their potential for estimating SOC concentration of surface bare soils. The results show that LSTM achieved the best predictive performance for quantifying SOC concentration, and that shortwave infrared is vital for hyperspectral sensors to monitor surface SOC.
The article appears to be reliable and trustworthy overall, as it provides detailed information on the methods used in the study, as well as clear results and conclusions based on those methods. However, there are some potential biases in the article which should be noted. For example, the authors do not discuss any possible risks associated with using machine learning algorithms or remote sensing data to predict SOC concentrations, nor do they explore any counterarguments or present both sides equally when discussing their findings. Additionally, there is no mention of any limitations or uncertainties associated with their results or conclusions, which could lead readers to overestimate the accuracy of their predictions. Finally, there is some promotional content in the article which could lead readers to overestimate its reliability; however this does not appear to significantly detract from its overall trustworthiness and reliability.