Assessing the Viability of Translocated Mongolian Dung Beetles (Gymnopleurus mopsus) for Ecological Restoration in Republic of Korea: An Analysis of Environmental Adaptability

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The document is informative about the protocols you used. However, it is not very clear what happened to the different cohorts of individuals. Initially there were 200 individuals (line 106), and later (line 165), 34 individuals were used to monitor the post-hibernation emergence of the adult dung beetles. And Line 188: a total of 17 pairs being monitored for survival. Are these the same individuals as before? Or some of the originally 200 individuals? What happened to the other individuals from the start? What were they used for? How many were used? More details should be provided.

Lines 284-286. Figure 1: On the graph, the colour differences between pink and red (introduced individuals) are not sufficiently contrasted. Change one of the two colours to make the graph more intelligible.

Lines 290-290. Figure 2: Same comment as for figure 1.

Line 299. The sentence in lines 297-298 applies to the data in Table 1 and not to Figure 3. Replace Figure 3 with Table 1.

Lines 369-380. One parameter that is not mentioned here is the diet given to the adults, which could explain the difference in size between the introduced individuals and the next generation (“smaller body sizes compared to the first-generation adults”). The beetles were fed horse dung, which is very rich in fibre, but not as rich as the dung of ruminant animals such as cows. According to Kang et al (cited in bibliography, reference 27), “The similar population structure of livestock and G. mopsus in Mongolia might further support the hypothesis of livestock-mediated expansion of G. mopsus populations”. In the wild, dung beetles, and in particular roller dung beetles, can vary greatly in size between individuals, regardless of gender, and stress does not seem to play a role in such situations.

 

Line 443 (reference 3). “ecologicalrole”. Separate the words: ecological role

Line 463 (reference 12). Ivermectin

Line 464 (reference 13). Lumaret, J.P.

Line 467 (reference 14). Scarabaeine

Lines 501-502 (reference 28). Proceedings of the national institute of ecology of the Republic of Korea. Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology. A redundancy of information?

Line 511 (reference 32). in (and not “In”)

Line 519 (Reference 35): Biocontrol

Author Response

Reviewer 1

The document is informative about the protocols you used. However, it is not very clear what happened to the different cohorts of individuals. Initially there were 200 individuals (line 106), and later (line 165), 34 individuals were used to monitor the post-hibernation emergence of the adult dung beetles.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line159-166, 172-175)

 And Line 188: a total of 17 pairs being monitored for survival. Are these the same individuals as before? Or some of the originally 200 individuals? What happened to the other individuals from the start? What were they used for? How many were used? More details should be provided.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 159-166, 172-175, 194-196, 229)

Lines 284-286. Figure 1: On the graph, the colour differences between pink and red (introduced individuals) are not sufficiently contrasted. Change one of the two colours to make the graph more intelligible.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 291-293)

Lines 290-290. Figure 2: Same comment as for figure 1.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 297-299)

Line 299. The sentence in lines 297-298 applies to the data in Table 1 and not to Figure 3. Replace Figure 3 with Table 1.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 307)

Lines 369-380. One parameter that is not mentioned here is the diet given to the adults, which could explain the difference in size between the introduced individuals and the next generation (“smaller body sizes compared to the first-generation adults”). The beetles were fed horse dung, which is very rich in fibre, but not as rich as the dung of ruminant animals such as cows. According to Kang et al (cited in bibliography, reference 27), “The similar population structure of livestock and G. mopsus in Mongolia might further support the hypothesis of livestock-mediated expansion of G. mopsus populations”. In the wild, dung beetles, and in particular roller dung beetles, can vary greatly in size between individuals, regardless of gender, and stress does not seem to play a role in such situations.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 390-399, 408-420)

Line 443 (reference 3). “ecologicalrole”. Separate the words: ecological role

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 471)

Line 463 (reference 12). Ivermectin

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 491)

Line 464 (reference 13). Lumaret, J.P.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 492)

Line 467 (reference 14). Scarabaeine

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 495)

Lines 501-502 (reference 28). Proceedings of the national institute of ecology of the Republic of Korea. Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology. A redundancy of information?

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 528)

Line 511 (reference 32). in (and not “In”)

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 538)

Line 519 (Reference 35): Biocontrol

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 546)

 

We appreciate the insightful comments and suggestions provided by the reviewers, which have significantly enriched our manuscript. Thank you for your valuable input.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. It is necessary to explain the possibility of using a mixture of sand and vermiculite instead of natural soil in the laboratory and in the field.

2. When discussing the fertility of G. mopsus females, it was noted that females of this species usually produce fewer eggs. It is necessary to provide links to the source of information.

3. In Discussion authors "suppose that the reason second-generation G. mopsus adults were smaller than the first generation is likely due to environmental stress experienced during the larvae's development". It is necessary to back this up with examples of the stress effect on the size of insect individuals.

4. In general, mentioning fractional values when discussing indicators such as the number of eggs seems unnatural. Perhaps, instead of expressions such as "fertility was 0.3 eggs", it is more appropriate to say that a third of the females had one egg or use nonparametric indexes such as median and mode.

Author Response

1. It is necessary to explain the possibility of using a mixture of sand and vermiculite instead of natural soil in the laboratory and in the field.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 116-121)

2. When discussing the fertility of  mopsusfemales, it was noted that females of this species usually produce fewer eggs. It is necessary to provide links to the source of information.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 361-363)

3. In Discussion authors "suppose that the reason second-generation  mopsusadults were smaller than the first generation is likely due to environmental stress experienced during the larvae's development". It is necessary to back this up with examples of the stress effect on the size of insect individuals.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 385-399)

4. In general, mentioning fractional values when discussing indicators such as the number of eggs seems unnatural. Perhaps, instead of expressions such as "fertility was 0.3 eggs", it is more appropriate to say that a third of the females had one egg or use nonparametric indexes such as median and mode.

• We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's comments. (Line 329-333)

 

We appreciate the insightful comments and suggestions provided by the reviewers, which have significantly enriched our manuscript. Thank you for your valuable input.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx