Diversity, Ecology, and Distribution of Opuntioideae (Prickly Pears and Chollas) Neophytes in Southern Switzerland

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript. It was a pleasure to read this work, which addresses an important topic regarding the distribution, ecology, and management of Opuntioideae species in Southern Switzerland. The study provides valuable insights into the invasive potential of these species, which become common nowadays, and their ecological impacts, particularly under changing climatic conditions. 

The manuscript is scientifically sound, with a clear presentation of the aims of the study and relevant findings. The topic is highly relevant to the field of invasion ecology and will likely be of interest to readers working on invasive species, conservation, and ecological management.

However, there are a few areas where I believe the manuscript could be further improved:

1. Introduction: While the introduction provides a good overview, it could be enriched with additional references to similar studies in regions with comparable climatic conditions. This would help to contextualize the findings better.

2. Results: Some figures and tables (appedix A) could benefit from improved labeling for better clarity. Additionally, the text could make stronger connections between the hypotheses stated in the introduction and the results presented.

3. Language: Although the manuscript is understandable, certain sentences are complex or ambiguous. Simplifying these could improve readability and make the research more accessible to a broader audience.

Overall, the manuscript is a valuable contribution to the field, and with some minor revisions, it will become an even stronger piece of work. 

Author Response

Comment 1

Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript. It was a pleasure to read this work, which addresses an important topic regarding the distribution, ecology, and management of Opuntioideae species in Southern Switzerland. The study provides valuable insights into the invasive potential of these species, which become common nowadays, and their ecological impacts, particularly under changing climatic conditions. 

The manuscript is scientifically sound, with a clear presentation of the aims of the study and relevant findings. The topic is highly relevant to the field of invasion ecology and will likely be of interest to readers working on invasive species, conservation, and ecological management.

However, there are a few areas where I believe the manuscript could be further improved:

Introduction: While the introduction provides a good overview, it could be enriched with additional references to similar studies in regions with comparable climatic conditions. This would help to contextualize the findings better.

Response 1:

The introduction has been revised by providing background of the European and global situation  and the urgence and update concerning detection, determination and control of invasive cacti, of which the ¨Opunitoideae are the most diverse and most abundant worldwide.

Comment 2

Results: Some figures and tables (appedix A) could benefit from improved labeling for better clarity.

Response 2:

The caption of Appendix A1 has been amplified for better clarity of the data.

Comment 3: 

Language: Although the manuscript is understandable, certain sentences are complex or ambiguous. Simplifying these could improve readability and make the research more accessible to a broader audience.

Comment 3:

The whole text has been revised for too long/ too complicated phases and corrected.

Comment 4:

Overall, the manuscript is a valuable contribution to the field, and with some minor revisions, it will become an even stronger piece of work. 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

The research presents important scientific merit, with very detailed research data.

The manuscript is appended with observations, which are extremely important for authors to review, such as the correct spelling of species names throughout the text.

References need to be reviewed and standardized in the format requested by this scientific journal.

Figure 2 needs to be worked on and adapted in the best way possible, mainly due to the detailed image without specific mention. The lines that separate the figures also need to be standardized, some are gray, others are black. Figure 9 and Figure 13 stand out, which appear to have been cut from other locations and have edges of different dimensions.

Furthermore, I congratulate the authors for presenting a study with a special approach to a group that has become invasive and dominated areas previously occupied by other types of vegetation, and is modifying the landscape in Switzerland.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

 

Comments 1:

Dear authors,

The research presents important scientific merit, with very detailed research data.

The manuscript is appended with observations, which are extremely important for authors to review, such as the correct spelling of species names throughout the text.

Correct spelling of species names has been revised

Response 1:

We are very thankful to reviewer 2 for carefully checking the correct spelling of scientific names. All the corrections indicated have been made in the revised manuscript.

Comments 2:

References need to be reviewed and standardized in the format requested by this scientific journal.

Response 2:

Newfererences have been added to give background in the introduction and in the chapter “propagation strategies”, as well as  in the introduction of chapter 4. “Invasive species management and control”. References have been  adjusted to the requested format.

Comments 3:

Figure 2 needs to be worked on and adapted in the best way possible, mainly due to the detailed image without specific mention. The lines that separate the figures also need to be standardized, some are gray, others are black.

Response 3:

Figure 2 hss been graphically  corrected and the unnamed zoom inset of Figure c is now called c’ and explained in the caption.

Comments 4:

Figure 9 and Figure 13 stand out, which appear to have been cut from other locations and have edges of different dimensions.

Response 4:

FFigures 9 an 13 have been graphically corrected.

Comments 5:

Furthermore, I congratulate the authors for presenting a study with a special approach to a group that has become invasive and dominated areas previously occupied by other types of vegetation, and is modifying the landscape in Switzerland.