Microarthropods Living on the Endemic Tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) with Particular Attention to Collembola Diversity

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Some sugestions

Line 27: “Collembola were” perhaps better “The Collembola were”

Lines 78-83: Maybe in this paragraph, it should be explained what the bark of this tree is like, that when young it is smooth, but when they are large trees with years, they have a very cracked bark and frequently colonized by mosses and lichens. Many of the readers may not know them.

Lines 125-129: This type of sampling of the bark of large trees should specifically explain whether lichen or mosses are found on the bark surface,

Line 139: This parenthesis can be deleted, as Nesbitt fluid is known to specialists who can read this work, if not, then or a cite is made or the quantities of each of the components are given.

Line 140: “mixed” it is really “Hoyer”

Line s140-141: This parenthesis can be deleted, as Hoyer medium is known to specialists who can read this work, if not, or a cite is made or the quantities of each of the components are given.

Line 141: “permanent” better “semi-permanent”

Line 159: “individuals” better “specimens”, because in English and other languages individuals are referred mainly to as persons. Please, change this word throughout the text. In some places you use specimens.

Line 177: (10285 ind.) better (10285)

Line 189: (per tree average: 1352 ind.), better (per tree average: 1352),

Line 192: (average: 515 ind.) better (average: 515)

Line 194: (average: 221 ind., min: 99, max: 294), better (average: 221, min: 99, max: 294),

Line 195: (average: 35 ind., min: 0 max: 64). Better (average: 35, min: 0 max: 64).

Lines 233-236: please add the cumulative variance of each axis.

Line 246: “juvenile individuals, some specimens were only identified at higher taxonomic” perhaps is better “juvenile forms, some specimens were only identified at higher taxonomic”

Table 2 sp 25: This species usually inhabits open spaces, instead, one species, whose females can be confused with this species, is E. nigrocincta (which is arboreal), the difference is found in the chaetotaxy of abdominal segments II and III (Jordana, 2012). I am sure that it could colonize some biotopes and you are right in its identification, but… please confirm.

Line 295-298: please add the cumulative variance of each axis.

The close relationship of the dendrogramme between N and T is not commented at any time, which participates in being samplings on branches. only in discussion has a reference, but think the possibility that they are colonized from soil Fauna.

Author Response

RESPONSE TO REVIEW

Thank you for your valuable comments and suggestions for changes that have increased the value of our manuscript.

Some sugestions

Line 27: “Collembola were” perhaps better “The Collembola were”

Authors' answer. After linguistic consultations, we decided that there was no need to make a change.

Lines 78-83: Maybe in this paragraph, it should be explained what the bark of this tree is like, that when young it is smooth, but when they are large trees with years, they have a very cracked bark and frequently colonized by mosses and lichens. Many of the readers may not know them.

Authors' answer: this information has been added in MS, line 131-133.

Lines 125-129: This type of sampling of the bark of large trees should specifically explain

Authors' answer: this information has been added in MS, line 131-133, and in addition, a photos from the collection sites has been added. This should make it easier for readers to understand the haracter of the microhabitats from which the samples were collected.

Line 139: This parenthesis can be deleted, as Nesbitt fluid is known to specialists who can read this work, if not, then or a cite is made or the quantities of each of the components are given.

Authors' answer: removed from the MS.

Line 140: “mixed” it is really “Hoyer”

Authors' answer: changed in MS, line 152.

Line s140-141: This parenthesis can be deleted, as Hoyer medium is known to specialists who can read this work, if not, or a cite is made or the quantities of each of the components are given.

Authors' answer: removed from the MS.

Line 141: “permanent” better “semi-permanent”

Authors' answer: changed in MS, line 153.

Line 159: “individuals” better “specimens”, because in English and other languages individuals are referred mainly to as persons. Please, change this word throughout the text. In some places you use specimens.

Authors' answer: has been changed throughout MS.

Line 177: (10285 ind.) better (10285)

Line 189: (per tree average: 1352 ind.), better (per tree average: 1352),

Line 192: (average: 515 ind.) better (average: 515)

Line 194: (average: 221 ind., min: 99, max: 294), better (average: 221, min: 99, max: 294),

Line 195: (average: 35 ind., min: 0 max: 64). Better (average: 35, min: 0 max: 64).

Authors' answer: suggested remarks (ind.)were taken into consideration in MS

Lines 233-236: please add the cumulative variance of each axis.

Authors' answer: this information has been added in MS, line 248.

Line 246: “juvenile individuals, some specimens were only identified at higher taxonomic” perhaps is better “juvenile forms, some specimens were only identified at higher taxonomic”

Authors' answer: changed in MS, line 260.

Table 2 sp 25: This species usually inhabits open spaces, instead, one species, whose females can be confused with this species, is E. nigrocincta (which is arboreal), the difference is found in the chaetotaxy of abdominal segments II and III (Jordana, 2012). I am sure that it could colonize some biotopes and you are right in its identification, but… please confirm.

Authors' answer: as suggested by the Reviewer, the specimens of Entomobrya multifasciata (Tab. 2 sp. 25) were re-examined. As a result earlier species determination was confirmed. The fact that it is E. multifasciata is evidenced by the same color pattern in females and males and by chaetotaxy. Indeed, this species can hardly be considered strictly arboreal, but it is sometimes caught (as in this case) from the bark of trees (e.g. Stach 1963). The occurrence of E. multifasciata in Crete is confirmed by the earlier records of Ellis (1976), Schulz & Lymberakis (2006) and Schulz & Burkhardt (2012). 

Line 295-298: please add the cumulative variance of each axis.

Authors' answer: this information has been added in MS, line 314-315.

The close relationship of the dendrogramme between N and T is not commented at any time, which participates in being samplings on branches. only in discussion has a reference, but think the possibility that they are colonized from soil Fauna.

Authors' answer: two sentences have been added in the results section, line 292-295.

We would not like to speculate on the colonization of branches by soil Collembola, as we did not conduct such observations.

Reviewer 2 Report

The submitted manuscript „Diversity of Collembola communities compared to other microarthropods living on the endemic tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) in Crete (Greece)” presents an interesting research on the invertebrate fauna of tree-related microhabitats, with special attention to Collembola communities. In the Mediterranean region, Zelkova abelicea is one of the most prominent relict trees and is therefore of particular ecological importance. The aim of the study is, therefore, commendable since information on the related invertebrates is scarce, as the authors rightly point out in the introduction.

The study design and the field survey methods chosen are suitable. I would suggest adding, however, a short note on why it was not possible to collect bark samples in the case of the dwarfed tree individuals (localities Niato and Thripti). Furthermore, I would gladly see some photos of tree individuals and microhabitats in the method section, if available.

Evaluation methods including community indices, similarity measures, as well as multidimensional and multivariate statistical methods are well chosen.

Collembola were determined at the species level, while the other invertebrates were classified into higher taxa. For this reason, I think the title of the manuscript is not expressive, as no comparative diversity analysis was performed as suggested in the title. I would therefore consider a slight modification in the title (for example, “Microarthropods living on the endemic tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) with particular attention to Collembola diversity”).

The importance of the current research is further demonstrated by the fact that several species of Collembola associated with the relic tree have been identified as new to the Cretan fauna and some other very probably new to the science.

There is usually little written about the ecology and habitat selection of Collembola species, which is why it is gratifying that the discussion focuses on this topic, among other things. Among the indicator species, please note that the true identity and distribution of Lepidocyrtus lignorum is unknown (it would be better to write Lepidocyrtus cf. lignorum or L. lignorum sensu Mateos 2011 – as his redescription is based on specimens from Crete).

Author Response

RESPONSE TO REVIEW

Thank you for your valuable comments and suggestions for changes that have increased the value of our manuscript.

The submitted manuscript „Diversity of Collembola communities compared to other microarthropods living on the endemic tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) in Crete (Greece)” presents an interesting research on the invertebrate fauna of tree-related microhabitats, with special attention to Collembola communities. In the Mediterranean region, Zelkova abelicea is one of the most prominent relict trees and is therefore of particular ecological importance. The aim of the study is, therefore, commendable since information on the related invertebrates is scarce, as the authors rightly point out in the introduction.

The study design and the field survey methods chosen are suitable. I would suggest adding, however, a short note on why it was not possible to collect bark samples in the case of the dwarfed tree individuals (localities Niato and Thripti). Furthermore, I would gladly see some photos of tree individuals and microhabitats in the method section, if available.

Authors' answer: information on the bark of young or small trees as well as large and old trees has been added (line: 131-133). In addition, photographs of the collection sites have been added to show the differences between the trees from which the material was collected.

Evaluation methods including community indices, similarity measures, as well as multidimensional and multivariate statistical methods are well chosen.

Collembola were determined at the species level, while the other invertebrates were classified into higher taxa. For this reason, I think the title of the manuscript is not expressive, as no comparative diversity analysis was performed as suggested in the title. I would therefore consider a slight modification in the title (for example, “Microarthropods living on the endemic tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) with particular attention to Collembola diversity”).

Authors' answer: the title of the paper has been changed.

The importance of the current research is further demonstrated by the fact that several species of Collembola associated with the relic tree have been identified as new to the Cretan fauna and some other very probably new to the science.

There is usually little written about the ecology and habitat selection of Collembola species, which is why it is gratifying that the discussion focuses on this topic, among other things. Among the indicator species, please note that the true identity and distribution of Lepidocyrtus lignorum is unknown (it would be better to write Lepidocyrtus cf. lignorum or L. lignorum sensu Mateos 2011 – as his redescription is based on specimens from Crete).

Authors' answer: corrected, table 2, number of species 27.