Land Use Transitions under Rapid Urbanization in Chengdu-Chongqing Region: A Perspective of Coupling Water and Land Resources

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Please see the attached

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Many thanks for the constructive comments and suggestions from both the editor and the reviewers. We have modified the manuscript according to the suggestions. We have marked the changes in red and green font in the revised manuscript with track changes. The detailed responses are as follows:

Reviewer #1:

The paper under review investigates very pragmatic issues concerning increasing exploitation of water and land resources to support economic development in the face rapid population growth and wastes of land resources due to both urbanization and lack of planning. The study can be considered as one of the very timely contributions to both science and policy makers. Based on an extensive evaluation of matching degree of water and land resources, water and land resources and economic development in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle with Gini coefficient method. In addition, an extended Cobb-Douglas production function model was established to analyse the sensitivity of economic growth to land and water factors. The paper concludes with some important policy guidelines mentioning that the quality of the population and effective labor should be improved and the distribution of labor should be consistent with the distribution of industries to further promote economic growth.

However, the major strengths of the paper include very reliable and extensive data base (water, land and economic growth etc.), the application of relevant models in establishing the relationship among the variables, very elaborative description of the relevant state-of-the art (theoretical part), outcomes and concrete recommendations for policy makers etc. Though a couple of recommendations have been made haphazardly (lines 400-401 and 606-613). The findings of the paper will certainly achieve a great success as soon as the policy makers consider them for implementation. Finally, the paper can be accepted for publication if the following concerns are addressed. In this regard, no further review is required and is referred to the decision of the editor.

Recommendations made elsewhere in the texts as mentioned above should be placed in the last section of the paper (policy implications)

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. Recommendations made elsewhere in the texts as mentioned above have been placed in the policy implications.

Lines between 245-258, grammatical correction or standardization of English language is suggested. For example- “Economic and other data come from 2011 to 2018 China” can be placed with economic and other data (2011-2018) are obtained from----).

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, we have restructured the sentences. The details are as follows:▶Water resources data (2011-2018) is obtained Chongqing and Sichuan Water Resources Bulletins.

▶ Economic and other data (2011-2018) are obtained from China City Statistical Yearbook

Study areas (Figure 2) should be clearly identified and shown.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. Figure 2 have been clearly identified.

Reviewer 2 Report

A very important subject and an aptly diagnosed prablem and  its importance for the development of the region. A topic relevant and interesting to many researchers interested in regional transformations, land use and the percentage of water resources in relation to land. The methods are carefully described and the results can be futher discussed.

Author Response

Many thanks for the constructive comments and suggestions from both the editor and the reviewers. We have modified the manuscript according to the suggestions. We have marked the changes in red and green font in the revised manuscript with track changes. The detailed responses are as follows:

Reviewer #2:

A very important subject and an aptly diagnosed prablem and its importance for the development of the region. A topic relevant and interesting to many researchers interested in regional transformations, land use and the percentage of water resources in relation to land. The methods are carefully described and the results can be futher discussed.

Re: We did not find the suggestions of reviewer 2.

Reviewer 3 Report

 The paper under review investigates very pragmatic issues concerning increasing exploitation of water and land resources to support economic development in the face rapid population growth and wastes of land resources due to both urbanization and lack of planning. The study can be considered as one of the very timely contributions to both science and policy makers. Based on an extensive evaluation of matching degree of water and land resources, water and land resources and economic development in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle with Gini coefficient method. In addition, an extended Cobb-Douglas production function model was established to analyse the sensitivity of economic growth to land and water factors. The paper concludes with some important policy guidelines mentioning that the quality of the population and effective labor should be improved and the distribution of labor should be consistent with the distribution of industries to further promote economic growth.

However, the major strengths of the paper include very reliable and extensive data base (water, land and economic growth etc.), the application of relevant models in establishing the relationship among the variables, very elaborative description of the relevant state-of-the art (theoretical part), outcomes and concrete recommendations for policy makers etc. Though a couple of recommendations have been made haphazardly (lines 400-401 and 606-613).

The findings of the paper will certainly achieve a great success as soon as the policy makers consider them for implementation. Finally, the paper can be accepted for publication if the following concerns are addressed. In this regard, no further review is required and is referred to the decision of the editor.

-Recommendations made elsewhere in the texts as mentioned above should be placed in the last section of the paper (policy implications)

-Lines between 245-258, grammatical correction or standardization of English language is suggested. For example- “Economic and other data come from 2011 to 2018 China” can be placed with economic and other data (2011-2018) are obtained from----). 

-Study areas (Figure 2) should be clearly identified and shown. 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Many thanks for the constructive comments and suggestions from both the editor and the reviewers. We have modified the manuscript according to the suggestions. We have marked the changes in red and green font in the revised manuscript with track changes. The detailed responses are as follows:

Reviewer #3:

Title

1. Suggestion – Coupling Water and Land Resources in the Rapidly Urbanizing Chengdu- Chongqing Region of China

Re: Thanks for your suggestions. We have changed the title.

Abstract

2．Line 13: “water and land resources” is repeated so delete the repeated phrase.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have deleted the repeated phrase.

3. Line 14: Get rid of the the "And" and start the new sentence with "Based on"

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. The “and” have been removed.

Introduction

4. Line 58: Consider modifying “even negative growth”. Suggestion "and may even result in"

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, the sentence has been modified to “and may even result in negative growth.”

5. Lines 67-69: “But how…………………………………….economic development”. These questions posed need to be rephrased. e.g. But how can this constraint be measured quantitatively?

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. The sentences have been rephrased.

 ▶ But how can this constraint be measured quantitatively? How can the matching degree between water and land resources and economy be revealed, and how  can the inter-active mechanism between water and land resources and economic development be explored?

6. Line 76: Avoid starting sentences with because. Suggestion: "Owing to the ..."

Re: Thanks for your suggestions. We have replaced the “because of” with “owing to”.

7. Line 79: Rephrase “this paper intends to carry out the following research:” Suggestion: "the objectives of this paper are to:"

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, the sentence has been modified to "the objectives of this paper are to:"

8. Line 84: “Put forward the policy”. Replace “the” with “a”

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, We have replaced the “the” with “the”.

9. Line 88: Insert “the” between “of” and “regional” so that it becomes “of the regional”

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, We have Insert “the”.

Literature Review

10. Line 151: Avoid starting a sentence with "and"

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, We have removed “the”.

11. Line 166: Also avoid starting sentences with “because”

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, We have removed “because”.

A theoretical analysis framework of water, land and economic development

12. Line 184: Start “some” with a capital letter. i.e. “Some”

Re: Thanks for your help. We feel sorry for our carelessness. We have corrected it and we also feel great thanks for your pointing out this mistake.

13. Figure 1. Indicate what boxes with the three dots represent in the figure.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. The boxes represent other factors that can describe water and land resources, labor and capital.

Study site and methodology

14. Line 238: A word or phrase should preceded “Select” e.g. It “selects” ------

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have added the subject.

15. Figure 2: This figure has two maps. As a result, some accompanying explanation is needed to indicatewhat each represents. It would be advisable to use A and B to differentiate the two maps. Also improve the resolution of the maps if possible.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have redrew Figure 2. And added accompanying explanation to indicatewhat each represents.

A depicts the location of Sichuan and Chongqing Provinces, and B presents the elevation information, which indicates that nearly half of the Sichuan Province is occupied by plain areas and the Chongqing is a typical hilly and mountainous region.

16. Line 272: China. The “Ke&Xiang combined with the actual situation in China-------” sentence is not clear. Revise to make it clearer.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have restructured the sentence to make it clearer.

17. Lines 313-316. Restructure the sentence to make it clearer.

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, the sentence has been modified to " In addition, the cumulative percentage of water and land resources in each region is calculated. The horizontal axis is the cumulative proportion of water resources, the vertical axis is the cumulative proportion of land resources, and the Lorentz curve is fitted.”

Results

18. Table 1. Position “Less matching” in column five to be consistent with the others in the table.

Re: Adopting the reviewer’s advice, we have placed “Less matching” in column five.

19. Lines 398-400: This explanation appears to belong to the discussion section.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have placed this explanation in the discussion section.

20. Fig. 3. Is there a reason for choosing the 2011, 2015 and 2018 only for the spatio-temporal maps? If yes provide reason(s).

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. Considering the representativeness and accessibility of the data, we selected the data of 2011,2015 and 2018 to discuss the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of the matching degree of water and land resources and reveal the trend change of the matching degree of water and land resources in different years.

21. Line 445: Change “Fig. 6” to Fig 7.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have checked again and it seems to be the right order.

22. Line 460-462: This sentence needs to be restructured to improve its clarity.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have restructured the sentence to make it clearer.

23. Line 502: Change “Fig. 7” to Fig. 8

Re: Thanks for your help. We feel sorry for our carelessness. We have corrected it and we also feel great thanks for your pointing out this mistake.

24. Line 509: Rephrase from “Most areas are mountainous and hilly areas” to “Most areas are mountainous and hilly”.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have change the sentence “Most areas are mountainous and hilly areas” to “Most areas are mountainous and hilly”.

25. Line 516: Change “Fig. 7” to Fig. 8.

Re: Thanks for your help. We feel sorry for our carelessness. We have corrected it and we also feel great thanks for your pointing out this mistake.

26. Lines 519-520: The sentence “The reason is that --------------------------------------net population outflow” is not clear. The sentence needs to made clearer.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have restructured the sentence to make it clearer.

27. Lines 558-559: This sentence also needs restructuring.

Re: Thanks for the reviewer’s suggestion. We have restructured the sentence.