-
.
Dear Editors and Reviewers,
Thank
you
for
your
letter
and
comments
on
our
manuscript
titled
“
Temporal
variability in soil moisture after thinning in semi-arid
Picea crassifolia
plantations in
northwestern China
” (
FORECO_2017_459
). These comments helped us improve our
manuscript, and provided important guidance for future research.
We
have
addressed
the
editor’s
and
the
reviewers
’
comments
to
the
best
of
our
abilities,
and
revised
text
to
meet
the
Forest
Ecology
and
Management
style
requirements. We hope this meets your requirements for a publication.
We
marked
the
revised
portions
in
red
and
highlighted
them
yellow
in
the
manuscript.
The main comments and our specific responses are detailed below:
Editor:
Please explain how the results in this paper are
significantly different from those in
Zhu, X., He, Z.B., Du, J., Yang, J.J., Chen, L.F., 2015. Effects of thinning on the soil
moisture of the Picea crassifolia plantation in Qilian Mountains. Forest Research. 28,
55
–
60.)
Response:
We apologize for our earlier lack of clarity about the differences between
our study and those in
“
Zhu, X., He, Z.B., Du, J., Yang, J.J., Chen, L.F., 2015. Effects
of
thinning
on
the
soil
moisture
of
the
Picea
crassifolia
plantation
in
Qilian
.
.
Mountains.
Forest
Research.
28,
55
–
60
”
(
named
“previous
article”
below
).
Specifically,
we
found
three
main
differences
in
the
temporal
variability
and
hydrological responses of soil moisture between our study and
the “previous article”
.
First,
the
scope
of
data
analysis
and
use
were
different:
T
he
“previous
article”
just applied the one growing season data (from June 28
th
to October 25
th
2013) from
the natural forest and the plantations with no thinning and thinned in 20% intensity. In
addition, t
he “previous article”
also has not considered the effect of 40% thinning on
the soil moisture of the
Picea crassifolia
plantation. However, in the present study, we
applied
four
years
data
(from
June
27
th
2012
to
October
30
th
2015
in
HD
and
NF;
from January 1
th
2014 to October 29
th
2015 in MD and LD) from the natural forest
and the plantations with no thinning, thinned in 20%, and thinned in 40% intensity to
analysis
the
temporal
variability
and
hydrological
responses
of
soil
moisture
in
semi-arid
Picea crassifolia
plantations in northwestern China.
Second,
the
content
of
the
research
was
different:
The
“previous
article”
only
considered
the
spatial
and
temporal
dynamic
changes
of
soil
moisture,
but
did
not
involve
the
inter-annual,
and
seasonal
dynamic
changes
of
the
soil
moisture.
In
the
present
study,
however,
not
only
did
we
considered
the
effects
of
thinning
on
the
spatial
and
temporal
dynamic
changes,
the
inter-annual
changes,
and
seasonal
dynamic
changes
of
the
soil
moisture;
but
we
also
considered
the
changes
in
soil
hydrological response after thinning.
Our goals were to understand the changes in soil
hydrological response and soil moisture dynamics, and to determine whether thinning
management can effectively improve the state of soil moisture in the subalpine
Picea
.
.
crassifolia
plantations in the Qilian Mountains.
Third,
the
research
purpose
and
the
result
were
also
different:
The
mainly
purpose
of
the
“previous
article”
was
to
preliminary
explore
the
thinning
on
the
plantation
forest
soil
moisture,
and
they
found
that
the
intermediate
thinning
can
significantly
increase
soil
moisture
content
at
the
depth
of
60
cm.
However,
they
didn
’
t point out that which or what the thinning intensity or plantation density can be
benefit to sustainability of planted forests in these water-limited regions. In this study,
not
only
we
did
confirmed
that
the
intermediate
thinning
can
significantly
increase
soil
moisture
content
at
the
deep
soil
layer,
but
we
also
found
that
high
planting
density
was
the
main
cause
of
severe
soil
moisture
deficits
in
the
long- term,
and
it
could
be
mitigated
by
20
-
40%
thinning
(~3139
trees
ha
-1
).
In
addition,
by
investigating the effect of thinning on the
soil hydrological response, we found that
soil
hydrological
response
may
be
temporarily
modified
by
thinning
according
to
changes
in
canopy
structure,
precipitation
properties,
and
antecedent
soil
moisture
conditions.
Soil
moisture
in
natural
forest
rapidly
infiltrated
into
deep
soil,
which
greatly improved the efficiency of precipitation use. Thinning significantly increased
the capacity for soil infiltration, and moderate thinning intensity may be conducive to
deep
soil-water
recharge.
Further,
according
to
the
global
circulation
prediction
models and
trend analysis results and weather patterns, deep VSWC may increase if
precipitation
patterns
shift
to
produce
larger
but
less
frequent
rainfall
events
during
the growing season, and this change will benefit growth of the vegetation planted at
higher density in this semi-arid region.
.
.
Reviewer 1
I found the topic very interesting. The scientific (experimental) set-up is valid and the
data is presented clearly, and analyzed in detail. My detailed comments are all in the
attached pdf- file.
Response:
Thank
you
for
your
encouraging
remarks
and
valuable
comments.
We
corrected our text according to your comments submitted in the attached pdf-file. Our
responses to your comments are as follows:
Comments in attached pdf-file
1. Keywords: maybe re-
consider “Rainfall”
Response:
We
fully
agree
that
it
is
necessary
to
re-
consider
“Rainfall”
in
the
Keywords
section.
In
addition,
the
statement
of
“
Rainfall
”
was
corrected
as
“
Soil
hydrological response
”
(
L31
).
2. Ln. 37: Expand, i.e. why are these specific regions water-limited.
Response:
We
apologize
for
our
earlier
lack
of
clarity.
To
increase
clarity,
we
have
.
.
re-
written this sentence accordingly, and we have corrected “
Grassland afforestation is
critical
in
efforts
to
prevent
wide-spread
land
degradation
in
arid
and
semi-arid
regions of China (
Chen et al., 2008a; Yang et
al., 2014
). However, sustainability of
planted
forests
is
severely
limited
by
soil
moisture
conditions.
Soil
moisture
is
fundamental to sustainability in water-limited ecosystems (
Newman et al., 2006; Yang
et al., 2014
).
” as “
Grassland afforestation is critical in efforts to prevent wide-spread
land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions of China (
Chen et al., 2008a; Yang et
al.,
2014
),
where
rainfall
is
the
main
source
of
soil
moisture,
and
where
many
vegetation restoration projects were implemented (
Li, 2004
). However, soil moisture
is
the
most
crucial
factor
to
sustainability
of
planted
forests
in
these
water-limited
ecosystems (
Newman et al., 2006; Yang et al., 2014
). (
L35-40
)”.
3. Ln. 47: What is meant by “statistical moments of soil moisture, such as mean and
variance”?
Response: It is meant that changes to canopy structure due to large-scale clearings or
intermediate disturbance events may lead to changes in the mean and the variance of
the soil moisture.
We amended our text to clarify, and now it reads: “
Changes to forest
canopy structure due to large-scale harvesting may lead to changes in soil properties,
residual tree growth, and the mean and the variance of the soil moisture (
Chen et al.,
1993; Olchev et al., 2009; He et al., 2013; Kaarakka et al., 2014
).
” (
L48-51
).
.
.
4. Ln. 60: add “ecosystems” (instead of cosystem)
Response:
The statement
of “cosystem” was corrected as “ecosystems”
(
L62
).
5. Ln. 68: change “determining” to “affecting”
Response:
The statement of “determining” was corrected as “affecting” (
L71
).
6.
Ln.
71:
Expand
this
sentence
a
bit.
Growing
season
–
where?
At
the
studied
region/area?
Response: To increase clarity, we have re- written this sentence accordingly (
L71-75
).
And
our
studied
region/area
is
also
experiencing
this
precipitation
patterns,
with
larger but less frequent rainfall events during the growing season, and more frequent
extreme hydrological events.
7. Ln. 74
–
80: Heisler-White, He et al. and Sun et al.
→
showed where, in what type
of ecosystem, how does it relate to the studied one, i.e. elaborate more on how these
studies relate to the current one.
Response:
That was an excellent suggestion, and we have made revisions according to
your
comments
(
L78-80,
L83,
L85-86
).
The
study
of
Heisler-White
et
al.
(2008)
.
.
provides
a
background knowledge
of the
supply
of the precipitation
on soil profile.
The studies of
He
et
al. (2012)
and
Sun et
al.
(2015)
investigated the soil moisture
dynamics
of
typical
ecosystems
(forestland,
shrubland,
grassland,
and
meadows)
in
response to precipitation, which can provide a reference for our research.
提供背景知识，
了解降水对土壤的补给情况；
He et al. and Sun et al.
的研究研究了
祁连山天然植被（林地、草地和灌丛）的土壤水分情况，是本文章研 究的基础。
The
response
of
soil
moisture
to
rainfall
event
size
in
subalpine
grassland
and
meadows in a semi-arid mountain range: A c
ase study in northwestern China’s Qilian
Mountains
Sun,
F.,
Lü
,
Y
.,
Wang,
J.,
Hu,
J.,
Fu,
B.,
2015.
Soil
moisture
dynamics
of
typical
ecosystems in response to precipitation: A monitoring-based analysis of hydrological
service in the Qilian Mountains. Catena 129, 63-75.
8. Ln. 98: ponderosa
→
Ponderosa
Response:
The statement of “ponderosa” was corrected as “Ponderosa” (
L97
).
9. Ln. 118
–121: what is meant by “Tianbao”. Re
-phrase this sentence, not sure what is
meant by “returning the grain areas..” Refers to shift from agriculture to forest
ry?
Response: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. We amended our text to clarify,
.
.
and
now
it
reads:
“
In
recent
decades,
with
the
implementation
of
projects
National
Forest Conservation Program
, “Grain for Green” program, and others
and others, the
area
of
planted
vegetation
in
the
Qilian
Mountains
has
increased
significantly
(
Li,
2004
), and many semi-arid grasslands were converted to
Picea crassifolia
plantation
forests (
He et al., 2012
).
” (
L128-132
).
10. Ln. 124: Remove “growth efficiency”
Response: The
“
growth efficiency
”
was removed (
L134
).
11.
Ln.
125:
What
is
“weak
stability”
in
this
context
–
soil
moisture
or
something
else?
Response:
We were happy to clarify the idea of a “weak stability of the ecosystem”,
which meant that the stability of the whole ecological system will show a decreasing
trend with vegetation succession. To increase the validity of this point, we included
literature
sources
that
related
to
the
stability
of
the
ecosystem
(
Yue
and
Ma,
1991;
Sankaran and McNaughton, 1999; Jiang et al., 2002
), and the bases on which stability
was evaluated: (1) suitability for local environmental conditions, (2) the resistance to
and the ability to recover from an external disturbance, (3) the ability of self-renewal
and normal development, and (4) having a relatively stable population structure.
.
.
12. Ln. 126: Replace:
“
enhancement
”
→
“
Improving the stability of the system
”
Response:
The
statement
of
“
Enhancement
of
the
stability
in
this
system”
was
corrected as “Improving
the stability of the system” (
L136
).
13. Ln. 163: What is meant by “limited number of Larix” –
maybe add a stem density
estimate?
Response:
Thank
you
for
your
valuable
suggestions.
We
added
a
stem
density
to
clarify, and now it reads:
“
The vast, recently afforested areas had a high stand density
around 4500 trees ha
-1
, and contained a limited number of
Larix principis-rupprechtii
Mayr trees (around 210 trees ha
-1
).
” (
L172-174
).
14. Ln. 165: Remove “management”
Response:
The “management” was removed
(
L175
).
15. Ln. 166
–
167: last sentence of the paragraph needs re-phrasing
→
The thinning
aimed to
remove poor-growing trees
as well those lacking vigor. What
is
meant
by
“
fish-scale pit
”
, if this a regional term, define it. Does density in this context refer to
stand density (i.e. to the density of the trees in a given area, in the pit)?
.
.
Response:
That was an excellent suggestion, and we have made revisions according to
your comments (
L167-177
).
The “
fish-scale pit
” in this study
is a regional term and
meant that “the pit of the plant trees”. In addition, the
density in this context refer to
stand density
of the trees in a given area.
16. Ln. 169: Rephrase. Maybe something like: “In early August 2013, a survey was
carried
out
in
the
P.
crassifolia
plantation
and
in
the
nearby/adjacent
natural
P.
crassifolia stand, which at the time of sampling were 31 and 41
years, respectively.
Selected stands had similar site conditions.”
Response:
That was an excellent suggestion, and we have made revisions according to
your comments (
L182-185
).
17. Ln. 176
–177: Remove “except for the gather
ing of wild mushrooms between July
and August”
Response:
The
“except
for
the
gathering
of
wild
mushrooms
between
July
and
August” was removed
(
L190
).
18. Ln. 198: Change to “a soil pit with the dimensions of”
Response:
The statement of “a soil pit with a dimensions of” was corrected as “a soil
.
.
pit with the dimensions of”
(
L210
).
19. Ln. 199: Change 5
→
“
five
”
Response:
the statements of “5” was corrected as “five”
(
L212
).
20.
Ln.
204
–205:
What
is
meant
by
“the
accepted
range
of
soil
temperature
change
”?(
-40 to +60 C) temperature change in the soil or where? If in the soil, why
such extreme numbers?
Response:
这个只是仪器的测定范围，研究区土壤温 度在什么什么范围（各个图
层的都加加上）
，所以用该仪器可以保证所测区域温度准确。
21. Ln. 206: Remove “nearly
-
original”
Response:
The “nearly
-
original” was removed
(L?).
22.
Ln.
212:
Why
was
this
data
(2014
–
2015)
not
available?
Maybe
add
an
explanation.
Response:
The
80-cm
data
from
the
NF
stand
were
not
available
for
the
2014
and
2015
growing
season
due
to
the
volumetric
water
content
and
temperature
ECH2O
.
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