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Peer review report 1 On “Throughfall kinetic energy in young subtropical forests: Investigation on tree species richness effects and spatial variability”
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 217 (2016) 54–55
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/agrformet
Peer Review Report
Peer review report 1 On “Throughfall kinetic energy in young subtropical forests: Investigation on tree species richness effects and spatial variability”
1. Original Submission 1.1. Recommendation Major Revision 2. Comments to Author: 2.1. General comments: The study estimated the effect of tree species richness to throughfall kinetic energy generation in subtropical forests in early succession stage by using 1800 measurement dataset. The difference of throughfall kinetic energy was analyzed with many kinds of biotic and abiotic factors. The dataset are robust. The reviewer read the manuscript interestingly. The composition of the paper is available for readers. However, the shown data was insufficient in statistics. More appropriate statistical analysis should be added. The separation of the effects of each biotic and abiotic factors was insufficient. Accordingly, the reviewer recommends major revision for this paper. Major comments: 1) L274. Did the normality and homogeneity of variance were confirmed in your log-transformed data? If so, you should show the evidence. 2) The analysis aimed not spatial variability but spatial distribution“. When you discuss spatial variability, coefficient of variation and/or mean absolute deviance are required. 3) Results or Materials. Show the statistical data on vegetation data. For example, you measured tree height, however, the range and mean were not shown in the manuscript. It is impossible for readers to understand what vegetation property your field site had. The manuscript showed these data in Figures 6, 9, 10, however, they are shown early because of their fundamentality. 4) Results or Materials. Show the correlation matrix among vegetation data and abiotic data. Was first branch height correlated with tree species richness? These data is necessary to separate each vegetation property effect for TKE. 5) Figure 2. The reviewer would like to know the relationship between tree species richness and TKE at each measuring position. Was the trend similar to Figure 2 or not? The proposed figure is
DOI of published article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2015.06.019. 0168-1923/$ – see front matter http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2016.01.057
likely useful to separate the effect of measuring position and tree species richness for TKE. 6) Results. Section 3.3 should be shown first of the Results. Readers would like to know what rainfall events were gained in your field observation. 7) Results. Before the analysis of TKE, you should add the analysis of throughfall amount. Throughfall amount is also important factor to determine TKE. The difference of throughfall amount were similar or different from TKE? 8) Results. More appropriate statistical analysis should be added. Apply multiple comparison such as Tukey or Steel-Dwass (L280289, L305-313). Apply multivariate statistics (L339-349) to know which factor was influential for TKE. Individual pared analysis was not appropriate. 9) Results and Discussion. Tree species richness were used for TKE characterization. On the other hand, throughfall drop size distribution was different among tree species (e.g. Nanko et al., 2006; 2013). The manuscript did not refer this point. For example, was there difference on TKE in monoculture plot with different species? Was the difference of species insignificant against tree species richness? 10) The study resulted that mixed-species forests increased TKE compared with monocultures. It indicated the increase of tree species richness is not beneficial on ecosystem functions and services and inconsistent with other vegetation parameters. Is this adapted to your story? Detailed comments: Title. Add “early successional stage” in the title. The manuscript analyzed the TKE in early succession stage of subtropical forest. Title. Are “tree species richness” and “spatial variability” parallel? It is strange. Overall. The manuscript uses “individual” to express a tree. It is confusing. Add “tree” before individual. Overall. Log-transformed data were sometimes used. The transformation was based on natural logarithm, however, based on 10 is kind for readers to understand figures. If you stick to nothing for natural logarithm, please use log10. Abstract. Too long for abstract. L90-91. “This suggests that rain drop mass has more impact on erosivity than rain drop velocity”. It is doubtful for throughfall. KE is calculated by drop mass and square of drop velocity. Drop velocity is more sensitive for KE. L174. How large area were 40 plots? They are close or far each other? L178-183. They are redundant with the legend of Figure 1.
Peer Review Report / Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 217 (2016) 54–55
L222. What does GD stand for? L225-226. Do you use mean of two diameters? L329. Per 15 cm distance increment? L361. Total tree height? L465. Not transpiration but evaporation. L481-485. Where was the result of this paragraph? Figure 1 Position 7 was influenced by three canopies. Figure 1 Change the fonts between section and TKE measurement position. Figure 1 Description of (2) does not suitable with drawing. Figure 1 What indicates dashed lines?. Figure 1 Present order from 1 to 8 is confusing. Change the order, for example, (1)-(4) were influenced by one canopy (1, first branch; 2, 15 cm from the stem; 30 cm from the stem; 4, 45 cm from the stem), (5)-(7) were influenced by two canopies (5, middle of two; 6, 45 × 120 cm intersection; 7, 75 × 75 cm intersection), and (8) influenced by four canopies.
55
Figures 2, 4, 8. Bad visibility. Separate figures among rainfall events or use color figure. Figures 5, 6, 9, 10. Replace rainfall amount with throughfall amount. Table 1 Calculate mm for rainfall amount on field. You can convert them using funnel diameter. Add basic statistical data (max, min, standard deviation, etc.). Is Rainfall intensity mean or total? Add TKE and FKE in Table 1. Kazuki Nanko ∗ SeniorResearcher, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Department of Meteorological Environment, Matsunosato 1, Tsukuba, 3058687, Japan ∗ Corresponding
author. +81298298227.
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/agrformet
Peer Review Report
Peer review report 1 On “Throughfall kinetic energy in young subtropical forests: Investigation on tree species richness effects and spatial variability”
1. Original Submission 1.1. Recommendation Major Revision 2. Comments to Author: 2.1. General comments: The study estimated the effect of tree species richness to throughfall kinetic energy generation in subtropical forests in early succession stage by using 1800 measurement dataset. The difference of throughfall kinetic energy was analyzed with many kinds of biotic and abiotic factors. The dataset are robust. The reviewer read the manuscript interestingly. The composition of the paper is available for readers. However, the shown data was insufficient in statistics. More appropriate statistical analysis should be added. The separation of the effects of each biotic and abiotic factors was insufficient. Accordingly, the reviewer recommends major revision for this paper. Major comments: 1) L274. Did the normality and homogeneity of variance were confirmed in your log-transformed data? If so, you should show the evidence. 2) The analysis aimed not spatial variability but spatial distribution“. When you discuss spatial variability, coefficient of variation and/or mean absolute deviance are required. 3) Results or Materials. Show the statistical data on vegetation data. For example, you measured tree height, however, the range and mean were not shown in the manuscript. It is impossible for readers to understand what vegetation property your field site had. The manuscript showed these data in Figures 6, 9, 10, however, they are shown early because of their fundamentality. 4) Results or Materials. Show the correlation matrix among vegetation data and abiotic data. Was first branch height correlated with tree species richness? These data is necessary to separate each vegetation property effect for TKE. 5) Figure 2. The reviewer would like to know the relationship between tree species richness and TKE at each measuring position. Was the trend similar to Figure 2 or not? The proposed figure is
DOI of published article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2015.06.019. 0168-1923/$ – see front matter http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2016.01.057
likely useful to separate the effect of measuring position and tree species richness for TKE. 6) Results. Section 3.3 should be shown first of the Results. Readers would like to know what rainfall events were gained in your field observation. 7) Results. Before the analysis of TKE, you should add the analysis of throughfall amount. Throughfall amount is also important factor to determine TKE. The difference of throughfall amount were similar or different from TKE? 8) Results. More appropriate statistical analysis should be added. Apply multiple comparison such as Tukey or Steel-Dwass (L280289, L305-313). Apply multivariate statistics (L339-349) to know which factor was influential for TKE. Individual pared analysis was not appropriate. 9) Results and Discussion. Tree species richness were used for TKE characterization. On the other hand, throughfall drop size distribution was different among tree species (e.g. Nanko et al., 2006; 2013). The manuscript did not refer this point. For example, was there difference on TKE in monoculture plot with different species? Was the difference of species insignificant against tree species richness? 10) The study resulted that mixed-species forests increased TKE compared with monocultures. It indicated the increase of tree species richness is not beneficial on ecosystem functions and services and inconsistent with other vegetation parameters. Is this adapted to your story? Detailed comments: Title. Add “early successional stage” in the title. The manuscript analyzed the TKE in early succession stage of subtropical forest. Title. Are “tree species richness” and “spatial variability” parallel? It is strange. Overall. The manuscript uses “individual” to express a tree. It is confusing. Add “tree” before individual. Overall. Log-transformed data were sometimes used. The transformation was based on natural logarithm, however, based on 10 is kind for readers to understand figures. If you stick to nothing for natural logarithm, please use log10. Abstract. Too long for abstract. L90-91. “This suggests that rain drop mass has more impact on erosivity than rain drop velocity”. It is doubtful for throughfall. KE is calculated by drop mass and square of drop velocity. Drop velocity is more sensitive for KE. L174. How large area were 40 plots? They are close or far each other? L178-183. They are redundant with the legend of Figure 1.
Peer Review Report / Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 217 (2016) 54–55
L222. What does GD stand for? L225-226. Do you use mean of two diameters? L329. Per 15 cm distance increment? L361. Total tree height? L465. Not transpiration but evaporation. L481-485. Where was the result of this paragraph? Figure 1 Position 7 was influenced by three canopies. Figure 1 Change the fonts between section and TKE measurement position. Figure 1 Description of (2) does not suitable with drawing. Figure 1 What indicates dashed lines?. Figure 1 Present order from 1 to 8 is confusing. Change the order, for example, (1)-(4) were influenced by one canopy (1, first branch; 2, 15 cm from the stem; 30 cm from the stem; 4, 45 cm from the stem), (5)-(7) were influenced by two canopies (5, middle of two; 6, 45 × 120 cm intersection; 7, 75 × 75 cm intersection), and (8) influenced by four canopies.
55
Figures 2, 4, 8. Bad visibility. Separate figures among rainfall events or use color figure. Figures 5, 6, 9, 10. Replace rainfall amount with throughfall amount. Table 1 Calculate mm for rainfall amount on field. You can convert them using funnel diameter. Add basic statistical data (max, min, standard deviation, etc.). Is Rainfall intensity mean or total? Add TKE and FKE in Table 1. Kazuki Nanko ∗ SeniorResearcher, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Department of Meteorological Environment, Matsunosato 1, Tsukuba, 3058687, Japan ∗ Corresponding
author. +81298298227.