Testing the Effect of Relative Pollen Productivity on the REVEALS Model: A Validated Reconstruction of Europe-Wide Holocene Vegetation
, F. Mazier 1, R. Fyfe 2, M.-J. Gaillard 3, T. Klein 4,5, A. Lagnoux 5, D. Galop 1, E. Githumbi 3,6, M. Mindrescu 7, A. B. Nielsen 8, A.-K. Trondman 3,9, A. Poska 6,10, S. Sugita 11, J. Woodbridge 2, D. Abel-Schaad 12, C. Åkesson 8, T. Alenius 13, B. Ammann 14, S. T. Andersen 15,†, R. Scott Anderson 16, M. Andrič 17, L. Balakauskas 18, V. Batalova 19, J. Bergman 20, H. John B. Birks 21, A. E. Bjune 21, O. Borisova 23, N. Broothaerts 24, J. Carrion 25, J. Christiansen 19, Q. Cui 27, A. Currás 28, S. Czerwiński 29,30, F. Di Rita 34, B. Dietre 35, W. Dörfler 36, A. Ejarque 40, I. Feeser 36, A. Feurdean 44,45, W. Fletcher 47, F. Franco-Múgica 48, E. D. Fredh 49, C. Froyd 50, S. Garcés-Pastor 51, I. García-Moreiras 52, E. Gauthier 53, G. Gil-Romera 54, P. González-Sampériz 54, M. J. Grant 55, R. Grindean 56, G. Hannon 57, M. Heikkilä 59, K. Hjelle 60, G. Jiménez-Moreno 63, I. Jouffroy-Bapicot 53, I. M. Kamerling 65, M. Karpińska-Kołaczek 29, P. Kołaczek 29, P. Lagerås 20, M. Latalowa 66, J. Lechterbeck 49, C. Leroyer 31, M. Leydet 67, M. Lindbladh 68, O. Lisitsyna 10, J.-A. López-Sáez 69, E. Lukanina 19, L. Macijauskaitė 64, D. Magri 34, D. Marguerie 71, L. Marquer 35,72, A. Martinez-Cortizas 73, J. M. Mesa-Fernández 63, T. Mighall 38, A. Miola 74, Y. Miras 75, C. Morales-Molino 14,76, C. Muñoz Sobrino 52, B. Odgaard 78, S. Pérez-Díaz 81, R. P. Pérez-Obiol 82, P. Ramil Rego 83, P. Rasmussen 85, M. Rösch 87, P. Ruffaldi 53, M. Sanchez Goni 88, T. Schröder 90, H. Seppä 84, G. Servera Vives 92, L. Shumilovskikh 19, M. Stancikaite 89, A. C. Stevenson 94, N. Stivrins 10,62,80,95, I. Tantau 56, M. Theuerkauf 77, S. Tonkov 96, G. Verstraeten 24, S. Veski 10, H. Von Stedingk 91, M. P. Waller 98, J. Wiethold 99, S. Wolters 101 and add
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Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper by Maria Antonia Serge and colleagues presents a large reconstruction of the European vegetation based on pollen data and using REVEALS. This is a third-generation reconstruction with 40% more pollen sequences than previous studies. The authors build upon previous data sets, give an in-depth discussion of methodological issues, and conclude on the suitability of the RPPs.st1 (31 taxa) for Europe. The Introduction clearly introduces the topics under analysis and the scientific background, while the methods sub-sections present the methodology and materials in a very clear, descriptive, in-depth matter. The results and discussion sub-sections present the data and the interpretations made, while the conclusions sum up the main results. Appendixes are also present, as well as a glossary in supplementary materials. This is a well-written, scientifically sound paper with an updated bibliography and well-prepared figures and tables. The authors show that there is a clear understanding of biases and caveats of the methods, analysis, and interpretations. The proposal fits well with the journal and the special issue and it is a highly citable paper.
I suggest the following changes:
Line – 4.6 thousand years ago
Lines 72-74 – double-check for clarity.
Correct the numbering of the different sections and sub-sections of the paper.
Correct the use of Mediterrenean throughout the text to Mediterranean.
Author Response
All changes requested below have been made as requested, they are visible in the attached updated manuscript, in track changes as requested.
Line – 4.6 thousand years ago
Lines 72-74 – double-check for clarity.
Correct the numbering of the different sections and sub-sections of the paper.
Correct the use of Mediterrenean throughout the text to Mediterranean.
Thank you
Best Regards
Maria Antonia Serge
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Ref. Testing the effect of relative pollen productivity on the RE- 1VEALS-model: for validated reconstruction of European-wide Holocene vegetation.
This study employed modern devices and strategies to develop more efficient model for vegetation reconstruction. In this model the multiple factors influencing the production, dispersal and deposition of pollen grains moreover, the CORINE cover classes have been used. What important, the pollen data have been transformed (i.e. biomization techniques), which make the model very reliable and solid sound.
I found, the high complexity of the data and I would like congratulate the authors the conception as well as the study and model performance. I have only one question, which I would like to be answered before the data publication. As far as I see, you used the pollen data of anemophilous and enthomophilous species. Did you use different ‘types of factors’ for such data. It is not clear. Please, explain and add short explanation to the text.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
