Altitudinal Patterns of Species Richness of Seed Plants in Qingling Mountains: A Test of Rapoport’s Rule
Giovanna Potenza
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Line 15: …richness along the altitude were analyzed; three hypotheses proposed to
explain the pattern were tested, and five methods verifying the applicability of
Rapoport's rule were examined.
Line 17: …were as follows: species richness…
Line 20: …with altitude; the altitudinal patterns…
Line 24: …Qinling Mountains; only the Pagel upper…
Line 25: …method supported the Rapoport's law. However, all species were
grouped…
Line 26: …distribution; most of results…
Line 41: are as two kinds of dominant modes of spatial pattern
Line 64: species. The patterns of seed plants species richness along the altitude were
analyzed, different hypotheses to explain and verify the pattern were tested, and a
variety of methods testing the applicability of Rapoport’s rule in Qinling Mountains
were examined.
Line 73: …because of its largeness.
Line 93: of pixels in each region
Line 125: method: took each species as…
Line 129: Stevens method: counted all species every altitude gradient…
Line 133: Rohde midpoint method: considered the midpoint of the plant species
range and the species whose midpoint…
Line 138: method: counted the species…
Line 143: Grouping test: all species were divided…
Line 160: The higher is the altitude, the higher is the specificity, which was clearly
affected by area.
Line 181: 1200-1500m; at genus…
Line 229: (Fig. 6A, R²= 0.14，P<0.0001); all species within each altitude gradient…
Line 233: 0.0001). According to the Rohde midpoint method…
Line 236; Fig. 6B, R²= 0.89，P＜0.0001). The Pagel upper method…
Line 244: After grouping, the results of species domain distribution range using
species by
species method are: …
line 248: with altitude (Fig. 7A). In Stevens method…
line 251: the altitude (Fig. 7B). After grouping, …
line 252: ideal. The species range…
line 255: elevation (Fig. 7C). After grouping…
line 274: studies: the species…
line 299: I) isolation ….
Line 300: II) the survival area…
Line 303: III) the formation of endemic species…
Line 320: floristic database. Although the contents of the data are sufficient, …
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Review
Altitudinal patterns of species richness of seed plants in Qingling Mountains: a test of Rapoport's rule.
This paper describes the species richness along an altitudinal gradient in the Qingling Mountains in China. The density of seed plants, especially endemic plants, was studied using the data of 3538 species. The Qingling Mountains is a very important site for biodiversity, as it is a natural boundary between northern and southern China with a large plant diversity. The paper tests an ecogeographical rule that states that the latitudes of plants at lower latitudes are generally smaller than those at higher latitudes.
The paper is of interest to international readers. I think it may be published in Diversity after a little revision.
Some comments:
Lines 64-66 - The hypothesis and goal of the study should be presented at this point.
Line 173-174 - Check to make sure the sentence is correct.
Line 268-270 - This part should be moved to the introduction.
Line 320 - Perhaps it would be useful to add a special chapter titled Conclusion.
References 7. The names of the authors should be corrected.
12.The same comment as above.
25. title should be corrected - remove capital letters.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
