Comparative Assessment of Analytical Hierarchy Process and Frequency Ratio Methods for Susceptibility Mapping of Pine Processionary Moth

Aim: This study aims to develop susceptibility maps for the Pine Processionary Moth (PPM) via multi-criteria decision-making methodologies. Location: Türkiye Methods: With the help of field survey and Forest Pest Control Projects, stands damaged by PPM in the study area were identified. Stand structure, crown closure, development stage, elevation, slope, aspect, annual mean temperature, solar radiation, and annual mean precipitation parameters were used to create the PPM susceptibility maps. PPM susceptibility maps were developed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Frequency Ratio Method (FRM). The precision of PPM susceptibility maps developed using AHP and FRM models was evaluated by Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: According to both models, the most effective parameter in creating PPM susceptibility maps was determined as annual mean precipitation. The AHP model indicates that 73% of the forest stands with PPM damage fall into the high and extreme susceptibility groups, whereas the FRM model shows that 68% of such forest stands are similarly categorized. The AUC values for the FRM and AHP models were determined to be 0.830 and 0.835, respectively. Main Conclusions: It was concluded that AHP gave more precise results than FRM among the models. The results indicated that PPM susceptibility maps generated using AHP and FRM models yielded reliable outcomes.