Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fractions and Response to Microorganisms and Mineral Elements in Zanthoxylum planispinum ‘Dintanensis’ Plantations at Different Altitudes

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Review of the manuscript entitled “Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fractions and Response to Microorganisms and Mineral Elements in Zanthoxylum planispinum 'dintanensis' Plantation at Different Altitudes” can be accepted for publication in Agronomy (MDPI) – the review is positive.

 

The experiment was performed in a Zanthoxylum planispinum' dintanensis' plantation in the karst mountainous areas of Guizhou (Guizhou Province, China). The application of compound fertilizers was limited. The content of C, N and P fractions, and mineral elements (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn) in soil, as well as the abundance and biomass of soil-dwelling microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes) were analyzed at different altitudes (m asl): 531, 640, 780, 871, 1097 and in different soil layers (cm): 0-1, 10-20. Chemical analyses were performed with the use of appropriate methods, and microorganisms were cultured on selective media. The results were processed statistically, clearly presented in tabular and graphical form, and adequately discussed and compared with the findings from previous research based on a review of scientific literature. The research findings confirmed that the cultivation of the tested plant species under the specific soil and climatic conditions of Guizhou Province (China) is ecologically and economically justified. The study demonstrated that the cultivation of Zanthoxylum planispinum var. dintanensis forests can increase biodiversity, thus contributing to boosting soil quality and, in particular, improving its chemical and biological properties (high nutrient content, rich microbial communities). Therefore, the research has practical applications.

 

Minor comments:

Figure 1 F for YD5 (10-20 cm) it is: bAB, it should be: aAB

Table 4 caption: It is: ANOVA test results for the effects of altitude and soil mineral elements in soil layers. It should be: ANOVA test results for the effects of altitude and soil layers on soil mineral elements.

References:

6. It is: ….. Catena, 137: 37-43, 2016.,  it should be: : ….. Catena, 2016, 137: 37-43.

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The article titled "Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Frictions and Response to Microorganisms and Mineral Elements in Zanthoxylum planispinum 'dintanesis' Plantation at Differnet Alitutudes" is well written.

It contains all the necessary elements of a scientific publication.

The research methodology is properly developed and the discussion with conclusions.

In the introduction, a few more sentences could be added about the occurrence of elements N, C and P at different heights and their possible correlations.

Specific notes:

Line 110: Shouldn't SOC be labeled "soluble limit carbon" instead of line 121 (DOC).

Line 119: there should be a comma "by ICP-OES method. OES method"

Line 121: No description of the abbreviation EOC, while DOC should rather be labeled as "dissolved organic carbon".

Line 167: TOC instead of SOC, SOC instead of DOC? Line 215: space between "friction(Table 5)."

Line 220: The sentence should start with a capital letter "...storage of TP. There are..."

Line 297: The sentence should start with a capital letter "...in this area. The highest...".

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments are made in the attached manuscript file.  

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Dear Authors,

Congratulations for all your hard and sincere efforts in bringing out this manuscript. While going through the manuscript, I could find that the manuscript has been written in great haste, and it must be improved substantially before considering for publication. Some of my observations are as follows:

1. Some of the sentences are very hard to comprehend. Say, for example, line no. 41, 55, etc. Please make the sentences clear so that any one can easily comprehend them.

2. Please specify the content of nutrients used in compound fertilizer (line no. 79)

3. You have not followed the well-established abbreviations and this will cause a lot of confusion in the mind of readers. eg. SOC it is used for Soil Organic carbon but you have used it for Total organic carbon. It could have been TOC but why SOC. DOC has been used for soluble organic carbon, why. You can say Dissolved organic carbon. You have made a total mess of things.

4. At line no. 109, the heading reads Soil elemental determination and under this, you have placed SOC is it right? You have not determined the elemental carbon content.

5. At line no. 119 you say ICP-OES method what is this? ICP-OES is a tool for estimating but the method is something different. You have adopted someone's protocol so please name the authors.

6. The reference cited at line no. 119 is 18 and that work is related to organic carbon so, I doubt whether it contained all the parameters that you have estimated.

7. At line no. 147 you have written pepper plantation. So, from where this plantation has erupted in your result section all of sudden. Please check it.

8. At line no. 304 you have written "The soil Ca content of this paper" what does it mean? See you are writing for someone else so, please try to make it as simple as it can be for anyone to understand. You may take the help of some of your colleagues for expressing your point.

9. You haven't written any conclusion. You have just put the heading at line no. 235 and that too under "Discussion and Conclusion". Please check it.

Finally, I am to request you to kindly go through your manuscript very minutely and redraft it.

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf