Land Use Change under Population Migration and Its Implications for Human–Land Relationship
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This study aims to quantitatively characterize the matching modes of the relationship between cultivated land and rural residential land and the underlying formation mechanism via a grid-based integrated decoupling model and Multiclass Explainable Boosting Machine analysis method. The following questions provide the author reference and improvement:
Line13, What is the RCR? The author should write the full name.
In the abstract, this study aims to quantitatively characterize the matching modes of the relationship between cultivated land and rural residential land and the underlying formation mechanism via a grid-based integrated decoupling model and Multiclass Explainable Boosting Machine analysis method. I only see "hard" results from this method. I can't see these results with the connectivity of the title "Land use change under population migration and its implications for human–land relationship". Authors should reinforce policy statements.
Line 111-113, On the basis of the above review, the hypotheses in this study are developed as follows. Cultivated land marginalization and rural population migration lead to the intensive changes in the human–land relationship (Liu et al., 2010; 113
Liu et al., 2009a). Is this hypothesis proposed by Liu et al. (2010) and Liu et al. (2009)? Not by the author? I really don't understand what this means.
In line 142-150, the author makes three contributions, including theoretical, methodological and practical aspects. The problem is that the research hypothesis is proposed by the author? (as mentioned above), this will affect the contribution of the paper.
Line 163-164, (Error! Reference source not found.)? This appears in many places in the text.
Line 250-251, For the dependent variable, we argue that the two matching modes (recessive decoupling and weak negative decoupling) are mainly affected by the above conversion types. Which is the dependent variable?
MC-EBM is a classification method, and the dependent variable is divided into several categories? Which categories should be explained here, so that it is easier for readers to understand.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The paper is consistent with MDPI - Land and fits in the overall journal scope.
The title needs to be reconsidered because it does not reflect the area of the research study. The reviewer suggests authors to add a subtitle.
The article is well structured. The article presents the results of the research according to the set methodology.
It is commendable that the flowchart is made (Figure 2) but it is hard to read due to the small font. Figure 9 and Figure 10 have to be adapted to be readable. It is suggested to pay more attention to the figures (e.g. readability of the size of the font).
There is a written mistake in the line 265.
In the Discussion, besides the comparison of the results with the other authors results, it would be desirable to comment the differences in methodological approach in relation to other authors who dealt with the same issue.
The authors should also highlight current limitations of their study.
Please check the MDPI style for citation and references and adapt the manuscript.
In the future research, it would be interesting to see the results of the new study in the different areas based on the same methodology in order to be able to make more general conclusions.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Eventought I am not familiar with your methods, I think that your article is very clear and readable. but I would just like you to more clearly explain the application and implementation of this methods and its usage in spatial planning.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
