英文回复信范例 Response Letter.docx

1、英文回复信范例 Response LetterDear 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

2、, and provided important guidance for future research. We have addressed the editors 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 po

3、rtions 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 t

4、he soil moisture of the Picea crassifolia plantation in Qilian Mountains. Forest Research. 28, 5560.) 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

5、moisture of the Picea crassifolia plantation in Qilian Mountains. Forest Research. 28, 5560” (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, th

6、e scope of data analysis and use were different: The “previous article” just applied the one growing season data (from June 28th to October 25th 2013) from the natural forest and the plantations with no thinning and thinned in 20% intensity. In addition, the “previous article” also has not considere

7、d 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 27th 2012 to October 30th 2015 in HD and NF; from January 1th 2014 to October 29th 2015 in MD and LD) from the natural forest and the plantation

8、s 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

9、 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

10、, 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 improv

11、e 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 fo

12、und that the intermediate thinning can significantly increase soil moisture content at the depth of 60 cm. However, they didnt 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,

13、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 tr

14、ees 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 moistu

15、re 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 cir

16、culation 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 se

17、mi-arid region.Reviewer 1I 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 corre

18、cted our text according to your comments submitted in the attached pdf-file. Our responses to your comments are as follows:Comments in attached pdf-file1. Keywords: maybe re-consider “Rainfall”Response: We fully agree that it is necessary to re-consider “Rainfall” in the Keywords section. In additio

19、n, 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 “G

20、rassland 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 sustainabi

21、lity 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, a

22、nd 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

23、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

24、 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 cosyst

25、em)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

26、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. 7480: Heisler-White, He

27、 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

28、 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 preci

29、pitation, 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 case study in northwestern Chinas Qil

30、ian MountainsSun, F., L, 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 PonderosaResponse: The statement of “ponderosa”

31、was corrected as “Ponderosa” (L97).9. Ln. 118121: 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 forestry?Response: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. We amended our text to clarify, and now it rea

32、ds: “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 cra

33、ssifolia 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