Simulation and Prediction of Sea Level Rise Impact on the Distribution of Mangrove and Spartina alterniflora in Coastal China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Introduction: The introduction is well done, but I would recommend using newer references (less than ten years old, except classic papers). For example, Donato et al (2011), although it is a very good paper, it is more than ten years old. There are probably more recent works on the subject of carbon in mangroves at a global level. A recommendation would be the article "Total ecosystem carbon stocks of mangroves across broad global environmental and physical gradients" by Kaufmann et al (2020). The rest of the introduction the work is good. Just checking for some possible minor writing errors.

Methodology:  I would recommend that in part 2.3 you explain a little more about this SLAMM 6.7 model and above all point out examples of works that have used this approach in other research works.

Results: I would recommend making the maps in figure 3 larger or make one for each scenario. I consider that these maps are the most important contribution of the work.

Conclusions: Good in general. I would recommend citing other works that also mention the limits of the SLAMM 6.7 model. This is normal in any model.

 

Final remarks: I would like to congratulate you since the work is a good contribution, especially in countries like Mexico and the United States that have sites with mangroves and marshes.

Author Response

Introduction: The introduction is well done, but I would recommend using newer references (less than ten years old, except classic papers). For example, Donato et al (2011), although it is a very good paper, it is more than ten years old. There are probably more recent works on the subject of carbon in mangroves at a global level. A recommendation would be the article "Total ecosystem carbon stocks of mangroves across broad global environmental and physical gradients" by Kaufmann et al (2020). The rest of the introduction the work is good. Just checking for some possible minor writing errors.

Response: Thanks for your suggestion. newer references have been added to the article. Such as Kaufmann et al (2020). Line 27

Methodology:  I would recommend that in part 2.3 you explain a little more about this SLAMM 6.7 model and above all point out examples of works that have used this approach in other research works.

Response: Thanks for your suggestion. Examples of applications of the SLAMM model have already been stated in the introduction section. From lines 120 - 147.

Results: I would recommend making the maps in figure 3 larger or make one for each scenario. I consider that these maps are the most important contribution of the work.

Response: Thanks for your suggestion. All original figures are provided in this study, including Figure 3.

Conclusions: Good in general. I would recommend citing other works that also mention the limits of the SLAMM 6.7 model. This is normal in any model.

 Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The limitation of SLAMM 6.7 model has been discussed in the manuscript from Line 430-435.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

 

The investigation is very relevant, however it requires some adjustments. The following are the observations:

 

Keywords:

- Mangrove, Spartina alterniflora Loisel and sea level rising are words that are already in the title, it is not necessary for them to appear in keywords. Substitute for other words.

- The taxonomic authority should not be in italics.

 

Introduction:

-Lines 41 to 42: enter the taxonomic authorities when a species is cited for the first time.

- Please, clearly write the objective and the research hypotheses.

 

Materials and Methods:

-Line 211 to 212: the phrase "In the last century, Russian scholar Markov proposed the Markov model named after himslef" is not necessary, please write specifically and cite according to the author's guide.

 

Discussion:

-Line 283 to 286: These are results not for discussion.

-Line 292: it is not necessary to put the name of the paper. Please cite according to the authors guide.

-Line 294 to 295: this is hypothesis, please put it in the introduction section.

-Line 346 to 347: it is not necessary to put the title of the paper, please cite according to the Forests author guide.

 

Conclusions:

-Lines 370 to 378: This text is very general and does not seem to correspond to a conclusion of his investigation. Please conclude according to your objectives, hypotheses and results.

- Line 378 to 380: This looks like methods, please don't put methods in the conclusions.

-Line 380 to 384: Avoid that the conclusions are the summary of results. Please write the conclusions based on your objectives, hypotheses and results.

-Line 385 to 394: this seems like a discussion. Please improve the conclusions.

Author Response

Keywords:

- Mangrove, Spartina alterniflora Loisel and sea level rising are words that are already in the title, it is not necessary for them to appear in keywords. Substitute for other words.

Response: Thank you for your suggestion. Although these words have already appeared in the title, they are keywords needed highlights. We add “coastal wetland protection” as a new keyword.

- The taxonomic authority should not be in italics.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. Layout style guide said:” Italics must be used for the genus and species when using Latin names of organisms.” So we used Latin names of organisms in italics.

 

Introduction:

-Lines 41 to 42: enter the taxonomic authorities when a species is cited for the first time.

  Response: Thank you for your suggestion. “Phragmites australis, Suaeda glauca, Spartina alterniflora” are their academic Latin name.

- Please, clearly write the objective and the research hypotheses.

  Response: Thank you for your kind reminders. Lines 138 to 146 “This project uses the SLAMM model to establish the basis of model simulation for the coastal areas of mainland China, integrates the joint role of biotic and abiotic factors in the distribution of mangroves and salt marshes, investigates the factors influencing the change of species in the region under future climate change and their response to climate change, analyzes the main causes of the decrease in the area of mangroves and S. alterniflora, and provides practical guidance for the development of mangrove and salt marsh ecosystems. This study will provide practical guidance for the development of mangrove and salt marsh ecosystems and promote the stable development of coastal ecosystems.” Told the objective and the research hypotheses.

 

Materials and Methods:

-Line 211 to 212: the phrase "In the last century, Russian scholar Markov proposed the Markov model named after himslef" is not necessary, please write specifically and cite according to the author's guide.

  Response: Thank you very much. This sentence was written to introduce Markov model, but after reading your comment, we think the latter sentence have already achieved the goal. So we decide to delete it, since the highlight is “Land Use Transfers Matrix” in Arcgis, which is its application.

 

Discussion:

-Line 283 to 286: These are results not for discussion.

  Response: Thank you for your suggestion. We wrote these for inducing the latter. Since they are unnecessary, we decide to delete.

-Line 292: it is not necessary to put the name of the paper. Please cite according to the authors guide.

  Response: Thank you for your suggestion. Citation corrected.

-Line 294 to 295: this is hypothesis, please put it in the introduction section.

  Response: Thank you for your reminders. We write this section as a bridging section by showing that mangroves and salt marshes have similar habitats, and presumably their tidal difference response to sea level rise is similar.

-Line 346 to 347: it is not necessary to put the title of the paper, please cite according to the Forests author guide.

  Response: Thank you for your suggestion. Citation corrected.

 

Conclusions:

-Lines 370 to 378: This text is very general and does not seem to correspond to a conclusion of his investigation. Please conclude according to your objectives, hypotheses and results.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. This text re-emphasizes the ecological value of mangroves and salt marshes, i.e., it highlights the significance of this study for production practices and is the introduction that leads to the main body of the conclusion. If you do not think it is needed, then we decided to delete it.

- Line 378 to 380: This looks like methods, please don't put methods in the conclusions.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. This is transition part.

-Line 380 to 384: Avoid that the conclusions are the summary of results. Please write the conclusions based on your objectives, hypotheses and results.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. We wrote this part from objectives, hypotheses and results step by step, as a summary leading to conclusion.

-Line 385 to 394: this seems like a discussion. Please improve the conclusions.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. This is shortages of this research, and then we wrote some predictions of future work. It is in a gradually way.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments:

Overall, the paper is well structured and well written without redundancy. The concept is clear, and the methodology is already established in the literature. The results are acceptable and explicit. Overall, the paper is nearly ready to publish; however, the authors need to correct the overall English in this paper and answer the comments:

 

1. The authors are requested to provide more citations in the first paragraph of the introduction, especially in the definition of mangroves and their ecological values.
2. “According to preliminary estimates, the average annual net carbon 37 sequestration of Chinese mangroves exceeds 200 g/cm^2” the authors need to provide a citation here. 
3. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change … significant impact on coastal zones” sentence is too long; consider rewriting the sentence.
4. Line 53 “The front edge of…” please correct the English. 
5. Line 94 “The results were more satisfactory at this scale.” Delete this sentence.
6. Line 110 “Tidal marshes are probably one of the ecosystems most vulnerable to climate change, especially accelerating sea level rise.” This line should be put in the introduction.
7. The authors are requested to clearly mention the motivation of this paper; Why is this study important? What new technique has been used that could set it apart from other similar studies?
8. The authors have produced a classified image as a study area map. They are requested to mention what kind of satellite image has been used and what are the reprocessing steps or classification algorithm used for making that map.
9. The authors are requested to provide all the datasets used in this study in a separate table with the acquisition date and resolution. The methodology should be explained in detail.
10. The authors should explain the SLAMM model in detail with input, output etc. 
11. The authors have mentioned NWI photos in Table 3; please state clearly what NWI is.
12. For figure 3, the authors need to mention what kind of datasets and classification approach was taken. 
13. A change matrix is needed for land use transition results.
14. The study area has three different mangrove species as described by the authors, namely Kandelia obovate, Avicennia marina and S. alterniflora. The authors are requested to mention how did they distinguish these three mangrove species from remote sensing datasets.
15. In lines 251-252 and in the graphs the authors have mentioned a unit called “hm2”. They are requested to use m2 or km2 while describing areas.
16. Line 22, the authors mentioned “In 2014, the article "Some issues about the impacts of sea level rise on mangroves in 292 China [41] said "The smaller the tidal difference, the more sensitive mangroves are to sea 293 level rise". There is no need to write the full name of the paper cited.
17. Line 300, the word should be confirmed, rather than conformed. Line 341-342 paragraph error.
18. The authors have written about Production Guidance for Farms in the discussion. Please state how this is relevant to this research. 

Author Response

1. The authors are requested to provide more citations in the first paragraph of the introduction, especially in the definition of mangroves and their ecological values.

 Response: Thank you for your suggestion. More citations have been provided.

 

1. “According to preliminary estimates, the average annual net carbon 37 sequestration of Chinese mangroves exceeds 200 g/cm^2” the authors need to provide a citation here. 

 Response: Thank you very much. Its citation is reference [3].

 

1. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change … significant impact on coastal zones” sentence is too long; consider rewriting the sentence.

 Response: Thank you very much. Re-writing completed. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) highlights that major changes, primarily characterized by global warming, have been a significant factor in the global climate system experienced over the past 100 years. Warming-induced increases in sea surface temperature, sea level rising and extensive glacial melting will have a significant impact on coastal zones.”Line 48-52

 

1. Line 53 “The front edge of…” please correct the English. 

 Response: Thank you very much. Correction checked.

 

1. Line 94 “The results were more satisfactory at this scale.” Delete this sentence.

 Response: Thank you very much. The sentence has been deleted.

 

1. Line 110 “Tidal marshes are probably one of the ecosystems most vulnerable to climate change, especially accelerating sea level rise.” This line should be put in the introduction.

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. It is the introduction part, which introduced SLAMM Model.

 

1. The authors are requested to clearly mention the motivation of this paper; Why is this study important? What new technique has been used that could set it apart from other similar studies?

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. Line 154 to 160 “This project uses the SLAMM model to establish the basis of model simulation for the coastal areas of mainland China, integrates the joint role of biotic and abiotic factors… promote the stable development of coastal ecosystems.” This study is important and different because it jointed the biotic and abiotic factors, and except for SLAMM model, Land use transfers matrix was used for guiding human activities. Furthermore, combining sea level rise with the deposition rate of mangrove plants, we propose requirements for the selection of mangrove species in mangrove restoration projects.

 

1. The authors have produced a classified image as a study area map. They are requested to mention what kind of satellite image has been used and what are the reprocessing steps or classification algorithm used for making that map.

Response: Thank you for kind reminders. 2.3.1. Digital Elevation Maps and Slope mentioned that DEM data were from ASTER V3 and Figure 1 illustrated map was combined of wetland maps and corrected by coastline and province line maps. Data on the distribution of mangroves, S. alterniflora were obtained from the Open Data website, which has been mentioned in 2.3.2. Therefore, no land use classification work has been carried out in this study.

1. The authors are requested to provide all the datasets used in this study in a separate table with the acquisition date and resolution. The methodology should be explained in detail.

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. In Materials and Methods, we showed the research design first, then induced the study area. In 2.3, we wrote DEM, slope, categories data and SLR scenarios. In 2.4, Land use transfers was introduced. In other words, we explained details partly and step by step, and all data resources had their citation.

 

1. The authors should explain the SLAMM model in detail with input, output etc. 

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. SLAMM model’s history were written in Introduction part, and input, output have been showed in Method part.

 

1. The authors have mentioned NWI photos in Table 3; please state clearly what NWI is.

 Response: Thank you very much. Correction checked. Line 228.

 

1. For figure 3, the authors need to mention what kind of datasets and classification approach was taken. 

 Response: Thank you very much. Figure 1 told study area map in SLAMM categories were taken into SLAMM 6.7 execution in different SSPs.

 

1. A change matrix is needed for land use transition results.

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. In Figure 7, we have used SSP2-4.5 as an example to show the transfer of land use.

 

1. The study area has three different mangrove species as described by the authors, namely Kandelia obovate, Avicennia marina and S. alterniflora. The authors are requested to mention how did they distinguish these three mangrove species from remote sensing datasets.

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. In our data collection, different sedimentation rates belonged to different plants, so when we used that value, we substituted that plant for the mangrove in that province.

 

1. In lines 251-252 and in the graphs the authors have mentioned a unit called “hm2”. They are requested to use m2 or km2 while describing areas.

 Response: Thank you for kind reminders. We thought about this during the writing process and finally decided to use "hm2" because it was found to be more common and more intuitive for articles in the mangrove field.

 

1. Line 22, the authors mentioned “In 2014, the article "Some issues about the impacts of sea level rise on mangroves in 292 China [41] said "The smaller the tidal difference, the more sensitive mangroves are to sea 293 level rise". There is no need to write the full name of the paper cited.

 Response: Thank you very much. Citation corrected

 

1. Line 300, the word should be confirmed, rather than conformed. Line 341-342 paragraph error.

 Response: Thank you very much. Corrected. Line 321. Line 362.

 

1. The authors have written about Production Guidance for Farms in the discussion. Please state how this is relevant to this research. 

 Response: Thank you for the suggestion. In the workflow there is a map of drylands developed in China, this includes fish and agricultural land, this study suggests that while protecting the ecological benefits of coastal wetlands, the original land for human activities can be retained for areas where neither mangroves nor S. alterniflora are suitable. “Production Guidance for Farms” has been changed to “Production Guidance for human activities”

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx