I am seeking for a reference paper which utilized SOM as a basis method for clustering and use a small sate set (i.e. data collected via survey with low rate of response?)
Its works, we use it in our case with just ~40 sample see : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284813309_Use_of_Self_Organising_Maps_in_modelling_the_distribution_patterns_of_gammarids_Crustacea_Amphipoda
Article Use of Self Organising Maps in modelling the distribution pa...