Browsing by Author "Mercan, Cagri"

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Citation - WoS: 7
Citation - Scopus: 7
Assessment of Walnut (juglans Regia L.) Cultivation Land Suitability Using a Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Method in Southeastern Turkey
(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Mercan, Cagri
Site selection for agricultural products is critical for agricultural planning, productivity, and farmers. Site selection is also critical for agricultural sustainability, as it helps ensure the efficient use of natural resources and avoids environmental degradation. This research proposes an evaluation model for walnut cultivation in the Savur (Mardin, Turkey) district in the Southeastern Anatolia region. Based on literature data, expert opinion, and local walnut producers' perspectives, a spatial decision support system was developed using Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). This model provides farmers and stakeholders with a comprehensive evaluation of the different walnut-producing sites in the Savur district. It allows them to make informed decisions about the most suitable areas for walnut production. The land suitability assessment for walnut orchards included four primary evaluation aspects, ten main criteria, and forty-seven sub-criteria. Evaluation criteria were weighted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A land suitability map was created using the weighted overlay method in overlap with the evaluation criteria. The results showed 442.56 ha of very highly suitable land, 9789.43 ha of highly suitable land, and 1140.76 ha of moderately suitable land in the Savur district. In order to determine the accuracy of the study model, ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis was conducted. As a result of the validation analysis, the constructed model had an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.911, which indicates an excellent fit between the model and reality; therefore, the model is acceptable. This study demonstrates that integrating AHP and GIS can aid agricultural land use planning and decision-making.
Citation - WoS: 1
Citation - Scopus: 1
GIS-Based FUCOM Method for Assessing Land Suitability for Almond Cultivation in Midyat, Southeastern Türkiye
(Wiley, 2025) Mercan, Cagri
Conducting land suitability assessments is essential for agricultural planning, productivity, and sustainability. This study develops a land suitability model for almond cultivation in Midyat, Turkiye, by integrating the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Key criteria, including temperature, rainfall, elevation, slope, soil characteristics, and land use capability, were weighted using FUCOM based on expert and farmer input. The suitability map, generated via a weighted overlay method, classified land into five categories: highly suitable (512.72 ha), moderately suitable (32,783.22 ha), marginally suitable (55,295.96 ha), not suitable (342.66 ha), and restricted areas (35,204.06 ha). Validation through ROC analysis yielded an AUC value of 0.817, indicating a high level of classification performance for the suitability model, confirming substantial accuracy. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first application of FUCOM in almond land suitability studies, providing valuable insights for farmers and policymakers in agricultural land management.
Utilizing FUCOM and AHP Methods To Identify the Optimal Beekeeping Lands: A Case Study From Mardin, Türkiye
(Public Library Science, 2025) Mercan, Cagri; Acibuca, Veysi
Beekeeping plays a vital role in agricultural sustainability and biodiversity conservation, yet identifying ecologically suitable areas for apiculture remains challenging. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare two Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods-the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM)-within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) framework to identify optimal beekeeping areas in Mardin Province, T & uuml;rkiye. Nine environmental, climatic, topographical, logistic, and socio-economic factors were selected through literature review, legal regulations, expert consultation, and field observations. Suitability maps were generated and validated using field-verified hive locations and Receiver Operating Characteristic-Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC) analysis. The results show that land use/cover, proximity to water sources, and precipitation were the most influential factors. Overall, 83% of hive locations coincided with areas classified as moderately suitable or higher. AHP achieved slightly higher predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.774) than FUCOM (AUC = 0.754), while FUCOM required substantially fewer pairwise comparisons, underscoring its efficiency. These findings confirm the robustness of the framework and provide a practical tool for sustainable apicultural land-use planning, offering transferable insights for policymakers, decision-makers, and beekeepers in T & uuml;rkiye and other regions with similar ecological conditions.