Landslide susceptibility mapping for the Black Sea Region with spatial fuzzy multi-criteria decision analysis under semi-humid and humid terrestrial ecosystems

Landslide, which is a process experienced not only at the local and catchment scales but also the regional and national scales, adversely affects the natural environment, including the flora and fauna, and the socio-economic well-being of human communities. The main aim of the present study was to generate a landslide susceptibility mapping model for the semi-humid and humid terrestrial ecosystems of the Black Sea Region. The modelling was done by using a spatial multi-criterion analysis (SMCA) method based on the integration of fuzzy environment and geographical information system (GIS) techniques and also the use of the AHP approach by incorporating 9 environmental indicators and 27 sub-indicators. In order to allocate a weighting value for each indicator, the fuzzy-AHP approach was applied to determine efficiently sensitive levels of importance for the indicator. In addition, precipitation climatology was included in detail with respect to the temporal and spatial distribution of rainfall in the study area. It was determined that approximately 33% of the research area includes high or very high susceptibility to landslide, whereas about 37% of the research area is in the low or very low susceptibility classes. Most highly or very highly susceptibility areas were located in the western and central Black Sea regions. In conclusion, this study provides an alternative perspective a useful alternative method for landslide susceptibility mapping through the incorporation of fuzzy sets through AHP in conjunction with the Buckley approach in modelling.