Investigating Endemic Alpine Communities of Papaver corona-sancti-stephani and Cerastium lerchenfeldianum in the Southern Carpathians
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear authors,
please find some comments and suggestions directly in the manuscript. Unfortunately, I was not able to make the manuscript work, but would be glad if you decide to rewrite it completely and I am willing to go through it again.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
I would like to sincerely thank the reviewer for the thoughtful and constructive comments. Your feedback has been very helpful in improving the clarity and quality of the manuscript.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsI expected an interesting contribution according to the title, unfortunately, the manuscript brings only minor news, statistical results are made from unclear inputs and conclusions are a little trivial. ome comments are in manuscript.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
I would like to sincerely thank the reviewer for their thoughtful and constructive comments. Your feedback has been very helpful in improving the clarity and quality of the manuscript.
- three communities? Three different associations or one ass. Cerastio-Papaveretum on 3 various localities? Unclear!
Right. As you declared, there is one association but there are three different communities.
- according to this statement a species has a relatively wide ecological niche from solide rocks to the meadows. This is not optimal deffinition for thrue diagnostic taxon
We replaced the statement. an endemic species mainly associated with calcareous cliffs and rocky slopes at high altitudes. Although it can occasionally be found in alpine meadows, its optimal habitat remains the rocky environment.
- the same unclear description
We added: the Bucegi Massif community, the Fagaras Massif community, and the Piatra
Craiului community
- it was really in all cases thrue calcareous scree sensu stricto?
We added: The study focused on the vegetation of strictly calcareous screes, including those formed on limestone and calcareous conglomerates.
- I know Marele Grohotis personally very well, there is very improbable to find something similar in Fagaras. Also scree slopes under Caraiman are different, may be also geology is another (conglomerates + limestone).
Right. We changed.
- I did not find any supplementary file
We added it.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear Authors,
The introductory part is clearly presented and provides clear information about the research.
Materials and Methods: In the Area of Study and Sampling Sites it would be good to add the climatic characteristics of individual locations, for a better idea of ecological factors. It would also be good to add some special features of individual locations.
In Field Methods the description of the field work is lacking. It is missing when the survey was done, how many times, whether the surveyed plots were the same size, or whether they were divided into subplots...
Results: It would be good to include a list of the species recorded in the results and perhaps specify whether any of them are endangered, protected, or endemic. This is important information, as the article also relates to the conservation of species in Alpine regions.
Discussion: Explaining the similarity of the Alpine flora with flora of Corsica on the basis of the dominance of plant families is not correct! The comparison can only be made on the basis of genera or species. Because in Central Europe the Asteraceae family is dominant anyway. This family also dominates, for example, in South Africa, although the environments of Central Europe and South Africa are not similar.
More detailed comments are added to the manuscript.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
I would like to sincerely thank the reviewer for their thoughtful and constructive comments. Your feedback has been very helpful in improving the clarity and quality of the manuscript.
add the T range: average, min and max T
We added: average annual temperature is approximately -2°C. Temperatures can vary from lows of -38°C to highs of +20°C
add average precipitation
We added: annual precipitation ranges between 1,200 and 1,400 mm
Can you explain a little more this ''climatic variability''
We added: characterized by significant fluctuations in temperature between seasons and even within a single day, as well as rainfall variations influenced by altitude, exposure and local topography.
Please add:
- when did you make the survey (what time of year?
- how often was it done, once a year, more times per year, more years?
- were the survey plots at each locality the same (surface area)? Did you have at each plots more subplots? Please describe more precisely
We analyzed 25 plots of 4 m² of each massif, in the summer season.
For the readers it will be useful if you put in the Results also the species list you have recorded at all localities together? Please specify!
We added: the Caraiman valley, Bucegi (B), Marele Grohotis, Piatra Craiului (PC), and Raiosu, Făgăraș (F) massifs.
According to the Figure 2 it seems that it is opposite: first Astreraceae than Caryopyllaceae.
We changed the figure and added details.
The explanation of Figure 2 is missing
We added an explanation.
You cannot conclude that the flora of the Alps and Corsica are similar based on the dominance of families! Similarity can only be compared based on the presence of the same genera or even species!
This study compares the flowers of the Alps and Corsica at the family level, which provides a broad taxonomic perspective. However, for a more precise assessment of floristic similarity, further analysis at genus or species level would be needed.
Which species are this?
We added: as Achillea schurii, Campanula kladniana, Dianthus callizonus
What kind of scale is this? Percent or species number? Please specify
We added.
Calcareous substrates is not the only factor for the speciation. It is the result of many environmental factors, the ''island effect'', or junction od different biogeographic regions, ecosystems...
We added: Speciation in calcareous habitats is influenced not only by substrate conditions but also by multiple factors, including the 'island effect,' biogeographic junctions, and ecosystem diversity, which together drive species diversification and adaptation.
What kinf of human disturbances?
We detail below.
Where? Because in general, in European Alps the mining activities are not the mayor threat. The mayor threat is namely turism like hiking and ski resorts...
We added: However, alpine meadow ecosystems face significant threats, which vary by region. While mining activities contribute to soil and vegetation disturbance in some areas, tourism-related pressures, such as hiking and ski resort development, represent the primary threat in the European Alps.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsMy review evaluation of the manuscript has only slightly tilted towards a more positive opinion. There are still shortcomings. The table in the supplement is what? It looks like a synoptic table, but without indicating the number of entries from which the classes were calculated. 75 relevés was final nimber, but it must be indicate numbers in columns also. Moreover, the alphabetical order of the species is ridiculous - what was the reason for that?
The References are poorly prepared, there are funny typos like BLACKWELL PUBUSHING, and under number 13 are two citations together, citations 26 and 27 are presented in different styles, also fonts used here are various – generally, a chaos.
Author Response
My review evaluation of the manuscript has only slightly tilted towards a more positive opinion. There are still shortcomings.
We appreciate your careful assessment and corrected the remaining shortcomings.
The table in the supplement is what? It looks like a synoptic table, but without indicating the number of entries from which the classes were calculated. 75 relevés was final nimber, but it must be indicate numbers in columns also.
We confirm that this is a synoptic table. We have added the requested explanations.
Moreover, the alphabetical order of the species is ridiculous - what was the reason for that?
The alphabetical order of species, this has been intended for ease of use and may differ from conventional synoptic table presentations.
The References are poorly prepared, there are funny typos like BLACKWELL PUBUSHING, and under number 13 are two citations together, citations 26 and 27 are presented in different styles, also fonts used here are various – generally, a chaos.
We have carefully revised this section, correcting all typos, ensuring a uniform citation style, and standardizing fonts and formatting.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
