The Influence of Volcanism, Soils, and Climate in the Endemicity Levels of Asteraceae in the Arequipa Region (Southern Peru)
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear Editor and authors,
the manuscript presents interesting data on the influence of volcanism on the endemicity levels of Asteraceae in Southern Peru. However, the manuscript needs some adjustments (please, see my comments in the text).
Kind regards,
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your considerations, which undoubtedly improve the text. I would like to make some comments on your suggestions.
Line 2:
Reviewer: The title does not properly reflect the contents of this manuscript. I suggest something like: The influence of volcanism, soils and climate in the endemicity levels of Asteraceae in Southern Peru.
Authors: The title was changed: “The influence of volcanism, soils and climate in the endemicity levels of Asteraceae in the Arequipa Region (Southern Peru)”
Different lines:
Authors: We have made all your proposed changes to words and expressions.
Lines 40 and 41:
Reviewer: all coordinates must be presented in degrees, minutes and seconds instead of decimal degrees.
Authors: The coordinates were changed to degrees, minutes and seconds.
Line 88:
Reviewer: replace by: USM herbaria
Authors: Changed
Line 88:
Reviewer: replace by: acronyms following Thiers, continuously updated. That is the correct citation of Index Herbariorum.
Authors: Changed.
Lines 93 to 96:
Reviewer: Please, provide an explanation of the concept of semi-endemism adopted in this study, followed by a proper citation of the authors you follow for this concept.
Authors: Between lines 93-96 the term semi-endemism is explained, although we have modified the sentence to clarify it: Semi-endemisms are species distributed throughout the regions of Ica, Ayacucho, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna in Peru, even though they extend to Bolivia, Chile and Argentina; they are species that are spread throughout the driest part of the Andes, from the Ica Region to the highlands of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina (Xerophytic Punenian biogeographic province) according to the biogeographical sectorisation by Rivas-Martínez et al. [37].
Line 101:
Reviewer: This is a single sentence, not a paragraph. Please merge this sentence with the previous one to form a proper paragraph.
Authors: This was changed in the text.
Line 364:
Reviewer: You need to explain these terms in the methods section, since the reader has no idea what they mean and who you follow to define these.
Authors: I do not think it is necessary to explain these terms in the Methods section, since it is not a question of concepts but simply of the number of endemisms in the territory studied. We have therefore specified that 47 endemisms are present in the whole of Peru, of which only 7 are from the Arequipa region. However, their definitions are now also included in the Methods chapter.
The authors.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
I have no special expertise on the flora in question--my "bona fides" are farther south--but I do know the region and have a general appreciation of the vegetation. This paper broadly agrees with my field impressions and to the extent I am qualified to comment (I advised the editors of my appropriateness) I find it well-done and of substantial value.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your encouraging words, and also for your kind comments.
The authors.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Diversity of Asteraceae in the Arequipa Region is an excellent contribution by authors. The study is novel and carried out in a region where it was most needed. The paper is well written. The discussion section still requires relevant citations for drawing sharper comparisons and contrasts with works of other scientists on the same subject in the wider geographical region to increase the readership and allow national and international scientists of neighboring countries to cite this excellent paper.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your encouraging words, and also for your comments.
We have been looking for new references to add to our discussion, but have not found any new titles that relate to our findings. If you have more references, please do not hesitate to let us know.
The authors.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
The goal to increase the knowledge of the Asteraceae family in Peru is very interesting. The focus on endemic and sub-endemic species is very important for the conservation of flora.
The main point of my recommendations regards the organization of the manuscript it is not easy to read, it needs more organization and attention to detail.
Furthermore, I recommend to reduce the manuscript and treating only the endemic and sub-endemic as the topic of the paper.
The captions must be more complete also in the Appendix
Extensive editing of English language and style will certainly help to better explain the diferent phases of the work.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your comments, which have undoubtedly improved the manuscript.
Below is the response to your comments:
Lines 11 to 13:
Reviewer: Combin ethese two sentences
Authors: I don't see a way to combine these two sentences without changing the meaning of the paragraph. I don't know if you have any suggestions. I have been looking at what another reviewer said about this paragraph, and he only changed two words. We would like to leave it as it is written in the new version so as not to change the meaning.
Line 40:
Reviewer: subsitute "S" with " South"
Authors: We have replaced S of Peru with southern Peru, as indicated by another reviewer.
Lines 40 and 41:
Reviewer: Rewrite better the coordinate and add the refernce system
Authors: The coordinates were changed to degrees, minutes and seconds, as indicated by reviewer 1.
Line 42:
Reviewer: Subsitute "SW" with "South-West"
Authors: Substituted
Line 43:
Reviewer: from a) to f) please describe for the physiosgraphic featues (not present for d) and e) and the main plant communities (not present in a), b) and f)
Authors: We have rewritten this sentence.
Lines 69 to 74:
Reviewer: “The refrences are good but the data reported are very limiting because in the case of soils of volcanic origin it is also very important to consider the time from the last volcanic eruption”
Authors: Yes, of course, that is why we have indicated throughout this paper that there are soil differences in the development of different types of plants. The only thing we want to say here is there are numerous studies that relate volcanism and the development of different plants and types of vegetation.
Lines 86 to 90:
Reviewer: I understand that the 2206 sheets include more families than Asteraceae. This information is not needed. I suggest writing directly that from research in the herbaria ... 2032 sheets belonging to the Asteraceae family have been found.
Authors: Not so, the 2206 sheets are of the family Asteraceae, as referred to in the text: “To know the number of Asteraceae species growing in the Arequipa Region…”
Lines 90 and 91:
Reviewer: it is not clear the Table S2 if Arequipa Region is in Perù only.
Authors: Of course, but we have somewhat changed the sentence: “The Asteraceae of Arequipa with the distribution in other Peruvian regions”. The title of the article itself indicates that the Arequipa Region is in southern Peru.
Line 92:
Reviewer: it is better to add the signfìcance of endemism also.
Authors: Added a definition for endemisms.
Line 101:
Reviewer: Please detailed in this paragraph which maps were generated with QGIS
Authors: The figure numbers were added.
Line 110:
Reviewer: Please refrase this sentence, the bioclimatic data are from Rivas-Martinez
Authors: The bioclimatic data are not from Rivas-Martinez, they were obtained by us applying the Rivas-Martinez method. The meaning is different.
Line 111:
Reviewer: In Figure 2 Thermotropical belt range from the Amazon forest to the cost of the Pacific ocean. Are you sure of this distribution?
Authors: Yes, of course, but the ombrotypes are different.
Lines 113 to 118:
Reviewer: Please refrase and dscribe only the Ombrotypes sensu Rivas-Martinez for the Arequipa Region
Authors: We think it is much more explanatory to indicate the thermotypes and ombrotypes of Peru, especially for readers who do not know well this model, and then add those we have observed in Arequipa, and this is indicated. That is, we have written what the reviewer indicates, but first explaining what happens in Peru. We think this is the right thing to do.
Line 121:
Reviewer: This figure is not new. See: Antonio Galán-de-Mera, eJosé Campos-de-la-Cruz, Eliana Linares-Perea, Juan Montoya-Quino, Iván Torres-Marquina, José Alfredo Vicente-Orellana doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.17.435755 Please add the citation.
Authors: Added the citation.
Lines 123 to 126:
Rewiewer: What time frame was considered? as Rivas-Martinez a teaches, to study the effects of climate on potential natural vegetation, it is necessary to consider an interval of at least 20 years.
Authors: We have taken 30 years.
Line 153:
Reviewer: Please write the dimension of the matrix
Authors: Added dimension of the matrix.
Line 164:
Reviewer: belonging to the Asteraceae family
Author: Added this sentence.
Line 197:
Reviewer: Add " The genus" chnopappus....
Authors: Added
Line 197:
Reviewer: Paquirea genus
Authors: Added.
Line 198:
Reviewer: Arequipa region only.
Authors: Added.
Line 371:
Reviewer: Asteracea species or The pant of the Asteraceae family
Authors: Added Asteraceae species
Line 383:
Reviewer: are located in islands of vegetation
Authors: Changed
Line 438:
Revierwer: Please detailed what is this list of species
Authors: Added a more detailed headline.
The authors
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 4 Report
Dear authors,
all the additions/modifications/clarifications reported in the new version have greatly improved the text.
I suggest to report the title of the paper in the Supplementary table also.
