CLRD-GLPS: A Long-term Seasonal Dataset of Ruminant Livestock Distribution in China's Grazing Production Systems (2000-2021) Using Stacking-based Interpretable Machine Learning

Advanced computational methods integrating ensemble learning with interpretable machine learning are essential for precision livestock management under increasing environmental constraints and food security pressures. This study develops a novel stacking-based interpretable machine learning (IML) framework that combines multiple algorithms with SHAP analysis techniques to generate the China's Long-term Ruminant Livestock Distribution in Grazing Livestock Production Systems (CLRD-GLPS) dataset. Our computational approach addresses critical challenges in livestock distribution modelling: livestock segmentation and spatial prediction accuracy. The framework integrates Random Forest, XGBoost, CatBoost, LightGBM, and Extra Trees through a two-layer stacking architecture, enhanced with SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) analysis for model interpretability. We also implemented interpretable machine learning for livestock production system segmentation to distinguish grazing from total livestock populations. The stacking ensemble demonstrated superior performance over individual algorithms, achieving R² values of 0.954-0.961 for cattle and 0.896-0.901 for sheep and goats, with improvements of up to 8.3% compared to best performance single-model approaches. Multi-scale validation confirmed computational robustness: livestock segmentation achieved R² = 0.80 at county level, while independent city-level validation of CLRD-GLPS datasets yielded R² = 0.76-0.80. SHAP interpretability analysis revealed distinct environmental drivers, with vegetation indices and topography primarily influencing cattle distribution, while snow conditions and elevation dominated sheep and goat patterns. This computational framework advances livestock distribution modelling through enhanced prediction accuracy, model stability, and interpretability, while the CLRD-GLPS dataset provides essential spatial-temporal information for rangeland sustainability assessments and evidence-based livestock management policies. This dataset is supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP, grant no. 2019QZKK0906).