Geohazard susceptibility mapping considering spatial heterogeneity: a case study of Xide County in Sichuan Province

Spatial heterogeneity has a significant effect on the efficiency of geohazard susceptibility mapping. Taking Xide County in Sichuan Province as an example, a semi-quantitative zoning scheme based on the hazard-pregnant environment is proposed. The study area is divided into four zones based on the geohazard’s density and the hazard-pregnant environment’s spatial characteristics. The eco-detector and risk detector of the Geo-detector were designed to evaluate the effects of zoning. Accordingly, the evaluation factors in different zones were selected and weighed using the data fluctuation-weighted method, and the geohazard susceptibility of each zone was mapped using ArcGIS software. The AUC value, precision rate, recall rate, and coefficient of variation were used as evaluation metrics to examine the efficacy of the susceptibility mapping before and after zoning. The results demonstrate that the accuracy and dependability of susceptibility mapping can be significantly increased by resolving the problem of spatial heterogeneity. The coefficient of variation is not only an essential metric for evaluating susceptibility mapping, but it may also be essential for developing the evaluating factor system. The work promotes the refined development of geohazard susceptibility mapping and proposes a method that is greatly generalizable and reliable.