Abnormal Litter Induced by Typhoon Disturbances Had Higher Rates of Mass Loss and Carbon Release than Physiological Litter in Coastal Subtropical Urban Forest Ecosystems

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript has been well prepared, it raises interesting and scientifically relevant issues concerning, inter alia, the recently widely analyzed carbon cycle and other (N, P, cellulose, lignin) and, consequently, the causes of climate change. The study highlights the natural changes in carbon concentration in coastal forests and explains the reasons for this phenomenon. 

Author Response

October 21, 2022

 

Dear editor and reviewer,

We would like to thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions for our manuscript “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher mass loss and carbon release in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” (Manuscript number: forests-1975908). These comments and suggestions were all valuable and very helpful in revising and improving our manuscript. We also appreciate the opportunity to submit a version of the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript according to the comments and suggestions. The revised portions are marked in blue font in the “Revision Manuscript” file. We hope that the revised manuscript can reach the standards of the Forests. Our responses to your comments and suggestions are provided below.

 

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Best wishes,

Wanqin Yang et al.

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Response to Reviewer 1 Comments:

Point 1: The manuscript has been well prepared, it raises interesting and scientifically relevant issues concerning, inter alia, the recently widely analyzed carbon cycle and other (N, P, cellulose, lignin) and, consequently, the causes of climate change. The study highlights the natural changes in carbon concentration in coastal forests and explains the reasons for this phenomenon.

Response: Many thanks for your positive comments. We would try our best to carry out the systematic and deep investigations on this field with your inspiration.

 

 

Thank you very much once again.

Best regards.

 

Yours sincerely,

Wanqin Yang et al.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

In connection with global climate changes, the study of carbon cycles is becoming extremely relevant.

 The paper scientific novelty lies in identifying the features of dynamics of abnormal litter mass loss and carbon release from urban forests caused by typhoon Hagupit disturbance.

 The research results have both theoretical and applied significance. However, the authors did not stop their attention on this. It is necessary to clearly formulate the tasks for which the research results can be used.

 The paper title should be formulated more concisely and clearly.

 In the introduction, the relevance of the study is well substantiated and the state of the problem is excellent described. The research objectives are formulated clearly and clearly.

 The study area is described enough. This study was conducted in the Plant Ecology Research Base at the Taizhou University, which is situated on the eastern coast of Zhejiang Province (28°63′ - 28°68′N, 121°38′ 134 - 121°41′E). The area is located in the western Pacific Ocean and belongs to the mid-subtropical monsoon zone.

 The methodology approaches are described in detail. The authors used modern methods of data analysis, the choice of which corresponds to the tasks set. The correct choice of methods ensures the reliability of the results obtained. However, it is desirable to pay more attention to the justification of the choice of methods.

 The research results are perfectly illustrated with figures and tables that are informative and do not duplicate each other. The paper contains 3 informative tables and 6 visual figures. The results are presented clearly and clearly.

 Conclusions follow from the results and are reasonable.  The paper will be of interest to a wide range of readers whose scientific interests are related to urban forest ecology, climate change and the carbon cycle. Despite the fact that English is not my native language, I read the paper with interest and had no difficulties in understanding. The paper fully corresponds to the subject and level of the Forests.

Perhaps it makes sense to dwell in more detail on the theoretical and applied significance of the study, to clarify the title and justify the choice of research methods. I also noticed that the results of modern research (over the past 3 years) are practically not used. It also needs to be fixed.

Author Response

October 21, 2022

 

Dear editor and reviewer,

We would like to thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions for our manuscript “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher mass loss and carbon release in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” (Manuscript number: forests-1975908). These comments and suggestions were all valuable and very helpful in revising and improving our manuscript. We also appreciate the opportunity to submit a version of the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript according to the comments and suggestions. The revised portions are marked in blue font in the “Revision Manuscript” file. We hope that the revised manuscript can reach the standards of the Forests. Our responses to your comments and suggestions are provided below.

 

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Best wishes,

Wanqin Yang et al.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Response to Reviewer 2 Comments:

Point 1: In connection with global climate changes, the study of carbon cycles is becoming extremely relevant. The paper scientific novelty lies in identifying the features of dynamics of abnormal litter mass loss and carbon release from urban forests caused by typhoon Hagupit disturbance.

Response: Many thanks for your positive comments. We will carry out systematic and in-depth investigations on this fields with your inspiration.

 

Point 2: The research results have both theoretical and applied significance. However, the authors did not stop their attention on this. It is necessary to clearly formulate the tasks for which the research results can be used.

Response: Thanks for your positive comments and helpful suggestions. We have revised and improved the full manuscript, and to further clarify the purpose and significance of the tasks.

 

Point 3: The paper title should be formulated more concisely and clearly.

Response: Many thanks. After careful consideration, we changed the title “Typhoon disturbances might accelerate the carbon cycle of coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems by promoting the mass loss and carbon release of abnormal litter” to “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher mass loss and carbon release in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems”.

 

Point 4: (a) In the introduction, the relevance of the study is well substantiated and the state of the problem is excellent described. The research objectives are formulated clearly and clearly. (b) The study area is described enough. (c)The research results are perfectly illustrated with figures and tables that are informative and do not duplicate each other. The paper contains 3 informative tables and 6 visual figures. The results are presented clearly and clearly.

Response: Many thanks for your positive comments.

 

Point 5: The methodology approaches are described in detail. The authors used modern methods of data analysis, the choice of which corresponds to the tasks set. The correct choice of methods ensures the reliability of the results obtained. However, it is desirable to pay more attention to the justification of the choice of methods.

Response: Thanks for your positive comments and professional advices. In fact, the one-way ANOVA and t-test was used to explore whether there is an effect on the results when only one factor changes, i.e., to ensure control of the variables. The difference between the one-factor and t-test, on the other hand, is that the t-test is only applicable to comparisons between two samples; Repeated measures ANOVA was used to the effects of litter sources, tree species, critical periods, and their interactions on the mass loss, carbon concentration, and carbon release rate of litter: 1 The samples are mutually independent and random. 2 The samples are normally distributed overall. 3 The variance of each treatment group is chi-square. 4 The covariance array sphericity is satisfied. In particular, if multiple, repeated sampling validations are performed in an experiment, and it is necessary to determine whether the parameters and the interactions between parameters (between-subjects and within-subjects factors) significantly affect the experimental results, repeated measures ANOVA is the most appropriate choice; Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the correlation between the initial nutrient concentrations and substrate quality of litter with mass loss and carbon release, typhoon disturbance was able to significantly alter the process of litter mass loss and carbon release, the most fundamental reasons being the lack of nutrient resorption and the initial substrate quality differing from that of physiological litter due to the abnormal litter produced by typhoon disturbance. Numerous studies in the past have shown that the initial quality of litter is one of the most important factors influencing litter decomposition.

 

Point 6: Conclusions follow from the results and are reasonable.  The paper will be of interest to a wide range of readers whose scientific interests are related to urban forest ecology, climate change and the carbon cycle. Despite the fact that English is not my native language, I read the paper with interest and had no difficulties in understanding. The paper fully corresponds to the subject and level of the Forests

Response: Many thanks for your positive comments.

 

Point 7: Perhaps it makes sense to dwell in more detail on the theoretical and applied significance of the study, to clarify the title and justify the choice of research methods. I also noticed that the results of modern research (over the past 3 years) are practically not used. It also needs to be fixed

Response: Thanks for your positive comments and professional advices. After careful consideration, we have changed the title, and refined the objectives of this MS. Please see lines 135-142. Meanwhile, we have read and cited 5 relevant research papers in the past 3 years.

 

Thank you very much once again. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards.

 

Yours sincerely,

Wanqin Yang et al.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Although the author has done some interesting research, however, the pictures are too vague for me to see clearly. In this case, I cannot judge whether the author's research results are correct. I hope that the editorial department will give the author the decision to reject and submit again. After the author's careful revision, I can review the article again.

Author Response

October 21, 2022

 

Dear editor and reviewer,

We would like to thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions for our manuscript “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher mass loss and carbon release in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” (Manuscript number: forests-1975908). These comments and suggestions were all valuable and very helpful in revising and improving our manuscript. We also appreciate the opportunity to submit a version of the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript according to the comments and suggestions. The revised portions are marked in blue font in the “Revision Manuscript” file. We hope that the revised manuscript can reach the standards of the Forests. Our responses to your comments and suggestions are provided below.

 

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Best wishes,

Wanqin Yang et al.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Response to Reviewer 3 Comments:

Point 1: Although the author has done some interesting research, however, the pictures are too vague for me to see clearly. In this case, I cannot judge whether the author's research results are correct. I hope that the editorial department will give the author the decision to reject and submit again. After the author's careful revision, I can review the article again.

Response: Thanks for your positive comments and helpful question. Based on your question, we have adjusted all the images in the revised MS and re-uploaded them as vector images (PDF). We have also carefully revised the MS based on the comments and suggestions  of two other reviewers.

 

 

Thank you very much once again. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards.

 

Yours sincerely,

Wanqin Yang et al.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors responded to all my comments and significantly improved the paper. I don't have any more questions. However, the title of the paper still needs improvement.

Author Response

October 24, 2022

 

Dear editor and reviewer,

We would like to thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions for our manuscript “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher rates of mass loss and carbon release than physiological litter in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” (Manuscript number: forests-1975908). These comments and suggestions were all valuable and very helpful in revising and improving our manuscript. We also appreciate the opportunity to submit a version of the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript according to the comments and suggestions. The revised portions are marked in blue font in the “Revision Manuscript” file. We hope that the revised manuscript can reach the standards of the Forests. Our responses to your comments and suggestions are provided below.

 

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Best wishes,

Wanqin Yang et al.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Response to Reviewer 2 Comments:

Point 1: The authors responded to all my comments and significantly improved the paper. I don't have any more questions. However, the title of the paper still needs improvement.

Response: Many thanks for your positive comments. After careful consideration, we changed the title “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher mass loss and carbon release in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” to “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher rates of mass loss and carbon release than physiological litter in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems”.

 

Thank you very much once again.

Best regards.

 

Yours sincerely,

Wanqin Yang et al.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Quality of this paper improved a lot after authors's revision. I added these references for authors to cite.

1:Climatic Factors Determine the Distribution Patterns of Leaf Nutrient Traits at Large Scales.

2:Climate factors determine the utilization strategy of forest plant resources at large scales

3:Precipitation and soil nutrients determine the spatial variability of grassland productivity at large scales in China

Author Response

October 24, 2022

 

Dear editor and reviewer,

We would like to thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions for our manuscript “Abnormal litter induced by typhoon disturbances had higher rates of mass loss and carbon release than physiological litter in coastal subtropical urban forest ecosystems” (Manuscript number: forests-1975908). These comments and suggestions were all valuable and very helpful in revising and improving our manuscript. We also appreciate the opportunity to submit a version of the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript according to the comments and suggestions. The revised portions are marked in blue font in the “Revision Manuscript” file. We hope that the revised manuscript can reach the standards of the Forests. Our responses to your comments and suggestions are provided below.

 

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Best wishes,

Wanqin Yang et al.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Response to Reviewer 3 Comments:

Point 1: After the author's careful revision, I can review the article again. Quality of this paper improved a lot after authors's revision. I added these references for authors to cite.

1:Climatic Factors Determine the Distribution Patterns of Leaf Nutrient Traits at Large Scales.

2:Climate factors determine the utilization strategy of forest plant resources at large scales

3:Precipitation and soil nutrients determine the spatial variability of grassland productivity at large scales in China

 

Response: Thank you very much for your positive comments and constructive suggestions. However, we have not cited the references recommended by you because these references are slightly related with our topics of this MS. Even so, these references you recommended are very interesting, which is helpful for our future research. Thank you very much again.

 

 

Thank you very much once again.

Best regards.

 

Yours sincerely,

Wanqin Yang et al.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx