Effect of Decreasing the Interception of Solar Illuminance by Vegetation on Ground Temperature in Degraded Grasslands
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper is well-designed and the results are reliable. It may be recommended in its current form.
Author Response
Thank you so much for your review.
Reviewer 2 Report
Effect of Decreasing Interception of Solar Illuminance by Vegetation on Ground Temperature in Degraded Grassland
Contribution: This manuscript has the apparent aim of quantifying how grassland structural condition affects the interception of solar radiation and the subsequent solar heating of surface soils and biomass production, where condition ranges from excellent to degraded across metrics of height, density, and leaf area. This topic is of importance given the initial degradation of grasslands can lead to positive feedback loops that exacerbate degradation, and understanding that sequence may help in management of this expansive resource. The researchers appear to use proven and appropriate research methods and instruments, with field plots and replications, and have presented results in a clear manner and explained their importance and constraints. The results may be strengthened with additional statistical tests to differentiate between significant differences between treatments. I have some suggestions below for the manuscript and recommend it for publication.
Abstract:
Abstract needs first sentence to motivate why this study is important to sustainability, likely covering importance of grasslands and role of high light penetration and soil temperature positive feedback cycle of degradation.
Abstract should clearly state aim and perhaps state science questions of study.
Abstract does great job in stating findings.
Introduction:
Introduction does great job in explaining importance of study to sustainability.
Introduction needs to clearly state aim of study and list associated science questions. This should be at the start of a paragraph, likely last paragraph of Introduction.
An example, This study aims to quantify how grassland structural condition affects the interception of solar radiation and the subsequent solar heating of surface soils, where condition ranges from excellent to degraded across metrics of height, density, and leaf area. The associated science questions are ... likely something about 1) light, 2) temperature, and 3) biomass
Methods:
Figure 1, please add legend to explain colors in map.
Figure 2, please add scale to size of each plot, and have caption explain N, M, S abbreviations, and explain the meaning of fatality (likely herbicide applied). Do this for all figures etc, explaining symbols and elaborating legend.
Figure 3, perhaps add some arrows to show where plots existed, and elaborate explanation of scene within legend.
Table 1. This does not seem useful, but could be replaced with results that fill out that table with values, such as results of statistical difference tests, rather than empty spaces and NA.
Figure 4, is it possible to clarify whether the herbicide treated plots, i.e., fatality, have any stem area index, as that will also block irradiance. Would you clarify if the percent of pie-chart covered by fatality is signifying it has same LAI as the growing plot.
Figure 5, is it possible to have a comparable plot for the herbicide treated plots, to confirm for reader how herbicide affected biomass and hence light partitioning.
Table 2, it appears the symbols M and S are switched in the 1st column.
Figure 6 and 7, these are well diagrammed, and with the legend explain the % transmitted can be converted to mol/m2/s by using the irradiance at top of canopy and reported in Table 2.
Figure 9, is it possible to show error or variance bars about each point (circle) given the replications? Also, please in legend explain how temperature was measured, such as non-contact infrared or thermistor without shade cover.
Figure 10, please consider color-coding the points (circles) in each graph, so that they correspond with grassland condition (N, M, S, etc). Legend needs to explain the grassland condition.
Table 4, is it possible to show the data with and without herbicide treatment, and for legend to clarify.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
The manuscript monitored and analyzed the effects of Solar Illuminance Interception by vegetation in grasslands with different level of degradation. Interesting results have been reached, which can bu potentially useful for other researches. I have some minor concerns to be addressed in the revision process.
- The language need to be further polished and corrected.
- More discussion are better to be incoporated. For example, is it possible to use ground temporature as an indicator for grassland assessment? What potential contributions can this research to ecological research espacially for grassland.
- The following references can be considered.
Yu, G., Piao, S., Zhang, Y., et al. 2021.Moving toward a new era of ecosystem science. Geography and Sustainability 2:151-162.
Zhang, Q., Zhao, W.,Yang, M., et al. 2021. A long-term record (1995–2019) of the dynamics of land desertification in the middle reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River basin derived from Landsat data. Geography and Sustainability 2:12-21.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
