Impacts of Intensive Management Practices on the Long-Term Sustainability of Soil and Water Conservation Functions in Bamboo Forests: A Mechanistic Review from Silvicultural Perspectives
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe study on Impacts of Intensive Management Practices on the Long-Term Sustainability of Soil and Water Conservation Functions in Bamboo Forests: A Mechanistic Review from Silvicultural Perspectives appear good. But there still remain some aspects remain untouched, particularly on the species of the bamboo trees and their roles on ecological functions, environment and climate, very important
- Please, edit the keywords, the words that appear in the topic shouldn’t appear in the keyword. Choose the words well
- Line 57 – 58; ………… These functions are crucial for maintaining ecosystem equilibrium, addressing global climate change, and preserving biodiversity. This is a fact and should be supported with references
https://doi.org/10.1080/21622515.2016.1253791
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-016-0530-1
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.06.014
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-014-0160-4
- Line 56 – 57; synthesizing the current The status of research …. Put a full stop between current and The
- Line 242 – 244; (1) mechanistic elucidation of root-soil 242 stabilization dynamics, (2) quantification of root tensile strength properties, and (3) exper- 243 imental determination of root-mediated shear resistance parameters. …. This is a good aspect the review should capture, which is missing. For example, how is the shear strength of the soil affected, the angle of internal friction…. The detailed explanation or review should come from the mechanistic perspective linking it with the Mohr coloumb circle in soil mechanics. But this is all lacking in this review
- Line 267 – 268; The findings of the study demonstrated a positive correlation between the ultimate 267 tension resistance of monopodial bamboo single roots and its diameter… Please, give a citation
- Line 269 – 267; with an in- 269 crease in diameter… which diameter? Stem diameter or leaf diameter. Please, specific
- Line 270 – 271; a negative correlation between the ten- 270 sile resistance of monopodial bamboo single roots and its diameter…. This is a review and those that have applied correlation analysis to establish relationships between factors should be as well cited. You could consider the following references;
Guan, D.; Xing, Y.; Huang, J.; Xiao, A.; El Saddik, A.; Lu, S. S2 Match: Self-paced sampling for data-limited semi-supervised learning. Pattern Recognit. 2025, 159, 111121
https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijgi13090330
https://doi.org/10.4408/IJEGE.2011-03.B-112
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120361
Line 355 – 358;
Although fertilization can effectively increase soil fertility in the 355 short term, the harm of nutrient loss on the ecological environment after fertilization has 356 attracted more and more attention. There is a close relationship between nutrient loss and 357 fertilization methods………. This is a fact, and a reference or two references are important here. You could cite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120361 to support this claim
In all, there still exist some areas yet uncover, what are the species of bamboo? Can you categorize based on their existence in some countries or regions of the world and relate them to how they affect ground cover, soil erosion, reclamation and soil strength. This will help and guide on which specie of this bamboo practitioners should plant most or purchase to plant. Does the specie has impact on soil carbon sequestration?
Author Response
Point 1: Please, edit the keywords, the words that appear in the topic shouldn’t appear in the keyword. Choose the words well
Response 1：We express our gratitude for the invaluable insights provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We have re - edited the keywords. The keywords are modified to "water and soil loss; bamboo forest cultivation; traditional management; ecological service function; clonal plant".
Point 2: Line 57 – 58; ………… These functions are crucial for maintaining ecosystem equilibrium, addressing global climate change, and preserving biodiversity. This is a fact and should be supported with references
https://doi.org/10.1080/21622515.2016.1253791
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-016-0530-1
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.06.014
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-014-0160-4
Response 2：Thank you for the valuable suggestions provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We cited the literature recommended by the experts in the corresponding sections.
Point 3: Line 56 – 57; synthesizing the current The status of research …. Put a full stop between current and The
Response 3：Thank you for the valuable suggestions provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We have made revisions in accordance with the expert.
Point 4: Line 242 – 244; (1) mechanistic elucidation of root-soil 242 stabilization dynamics, (2) quantification of root tensile strength properties, and (3) exper- 243 imental determination of root-mediated shear resistance parameters. …. This is a good aspect the review should capture, which is missing. For example, how is the shear strength of the soil affected, the angle of internal friction…. The detailed explanation or review should come from the mechanistic perspective linking it with the Mohr coloumb circle in soil mechanics. But this is all lacking in this review
Response 4：We express our gratitude for the invaluable insights provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We have made revisions in accordance with the expert.” The mechanical effects of vegetation roots are primarily reflected in two aspects:（1）the reinforcement effect of shallow root systems, which helps to restrict soil deformation;（2）the anchoring effect of deep root systems, which contributes to stabilizing superficial unstable soil layers. Vegetation roots play a crucial role in soil reinforcement, stabilizing soil layers and enhancing shear strength, which is vital for soil conservation and slope protection. Plant root systems are made up of many individual roots. Each individual root is the basic unit where mechanical interactions between roots and soil occur. The tensile strength and deformation resistance of individual roots determine the overall deformation of the plant and its ability to constrain the soil when external forces are applied. Therefore, root systems composed of individual roots with greater tensile strength can enhance soil stability and strength. Current research on the tensile properties of plant roots has mainly focused on herbaceous and shrub species. Studies in this area are typically conducted through indoor pull-out tests to measure the tensile characteristics of individual roots. Studies show that plant root systems can significantly enhance soil strength. The increase in shear strength of root - soil composites mainly stems from heightened soil cohesion. As root systems become more complex, they can mobilize a broader soil volume to resist shear deformation. Consequently, the shear zone and plastic zone around roots expand and focus more on the root vicinity, boosting the composite's shear strength. Fine roots enhance soil particle cohesion and overall soil strength. The shear strength boost in root - soil composites mainly comes from increased soil cohesion. As root diameter grows, this cohesion increment rises. There is a positive correlation between the composite's uplift and shear strengths. Root systems with greater tensile strength provide better soil stabilization. The increase in root content enhances the cohesion of root - soil composites, with little effect on the soil's internal friction angle. The shear strength of root - soil composites shows an exponential relationship with root content. The root - soil composite's cohesion decreases with soil depth. Different plants vary in reinforcing soil at various depths, which is tied to the main root distribution depth.”
Point 5: Line 267 – 268; The findings of the study demonstrated a positive correlation between the ultimate 267 tension resistance of monopodial bamboo single roots and its diameter… Please, give a citation
Response 5：Thank you for the valuable suggestions provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We organized the paper. This conclusion is from reference “Zhang, Y.W.; Hui, S.; Bu, X.L.; Shang, S.L.; Yang, C.M. Mechanical Characteristics of Tensile Strength for Three Monopodial Bamboo Single Roots. Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2013, 49, 183-187”.
Point 6: Line 269 – 267; with an in- 269 crease in diameter… which diameter? Stem diameter or leaf diameter. Please, specific
Response 6：We express our gratitude for the invaluable insights provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. In accordance with the expert's suggestion, we have refined the precision of the statement: "This correlation followed an approximate power function, suggesting a decrease in strength with an increase in single roots diameter."
Point 7: Line 270 – 271; a negative correlation between the ten- 270 sile resistance of monopodial bamboo single roots and its diameter…. This is a review and those that have applied correlation analysis to establish relationships between factors should be as well cited. You could consider the following references;
Guan, D.; Xing, Y.; Huang, J.; Xiao, A.; El Saddik, A.; Lu, S. S2 Match: Self-paced sampling for data-limited semi-supervised learning. Pattern Recognit. 2025, 159, 111121
https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijgi13090330
https://doi.org/10.4408/IJEGE.2011-03.B-112
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120361
Response 7：Thank you for the valuable suggestions provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We cited the literature recommended by the experts in the corresponding sections.
Point 8: Line 355 – 358;
Although fertilization can effectively increase soil fertility in the 355 short term, the harm of nutrient loss on the ecological environment after fertilization has 356 attracted more and more attention. There is a close relationship between nutrient loss and 357 fertilization methods………. This is a fact, and a reference or two references are important here. You could cite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120361 to support this claim
Response 8：Thank you for the valuable suggestions provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We cited the literature recommended by the experts in the corresponding sections.
Point 9: In all, there still exist some areas yet uncover, what are the species of bamboo? Can you categorize based on their existence in some countries or regions of the world and relate them to how they affect ground cover, soil erosion, reclamation and soil strength. This will help and guide on which specie of this bamboo practitioners should plant most or purchase to plant. Does the specie has impact on soil carbon sequestration?
Response 9：According to statistics, there are 130 genera and 1,700 species of bamboo plants in the world. The main production areas can be divided into the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas region and Africa region. Globally, the distribution of bamboo resources in the world is uneven, and there are also significant differences in the development levels of the bamboo industry around the world. The total area of bamboo forests in the Asia-Pacific Bamboo region accounts for 45% of the world's total bamboo forest area, and the number of bamboo species accounts for 80% of the world's total bamboo species. It is the distribution center of bamboo resources in the world. Bamboo forests, as a special type of forest, the theory of sustainable management can also be applied to the management and operation of bamboo forests. According to the data retrieved from the FSC official website (as of May 2021), after screening the joint certification certificates sharing the same certificate number, 1,756 valid FSC-COC certificate numbers related to bamboo were obtained, indicating that the number of enterprises worldwide that have passed the Chain of Custody certification for bamboo forests has reached 1,756. It is mainly distributed in countries such as China, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. From a regional perspective, the enterprises that have passed the FSC-COC bamboo forest certification are mainly concentrated in Asia (mainly in China), with 1,450, accounting for 82.57% of the total. Therefore, we mainly conducted a survey on the representative bamboo resources in China.
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, and its carbon sequestration capacity is particularly prominent. The carbon dioxide collection effect of bamboo forests includes two stages: carbon sequestration during the growth process of bamboo forests and carbon storage in bamboo products and bamboo buildings. The average annual carbon sequestration of well-managed bamboo forests is 4.91-5.45 t/hm2, which is 1.5 times that of Chinese fir plantations and 1.33 times that of tropical rainforests. For mature bamboo forests, every year, bamboo of the appropriate age needs to be felled, stored or processed into bamboo products to sequestration the fixed carbon. According to statistics, China can harvest 150 million tons of mature bamboo every year, and the total carbon storage can reach 275 million tons. This is of great significance for fulfilling the "3060" development goals that China has solemnly committed to the international community on schedule.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis ms is a review of a large literature on the ecology of managed bamboo forests, and the ecosystem services of these forests. It reviews different management strategies and their various effects on the ecosystem services. The ms points out that China is particularly well endowed with bamboo, and its economic importance has always been great.
Bamboo forests are valuable resources. They are becoming more and more so, as world population increases and world ecology degrades. As the ms notes, bamboo can substitute for plastic in many uses. Bamboo is also a source of paper and many other materials. It is fast-growing (some varieties up to a meter in 3 or 4 days), easy to grow, and fairly easy to manage.
This ms focuses on a few topics. One is rainfall. Bamboo forests break the force of rain, to the degree that they are not opened up by harvesting. Leaves break the force of raindrops. Stemflow is important in shaping patterns of water getting to soil and percolating into it. Litter affects percolation of water into the soil, usually holding water, stopping runoff, protecting soil, and generally serving as a water conservation mechanism. The ms continues to discuss management regimes: harvesting patterns (clearcut, selective, or gradual), monocrop stands vs mixed stands with broadleaf or pine trees, and other issues. Fertilizing is considered, with a warning that overfertilizing is a major problem, leading not only to runoff of fertilizer but also to degrading the soil of the bamboo forests. Several better alternatives to general fertilizer scattering are mentioned, but not described or discussed.
Finally, some very good questions are raised. Better sampling and monitoring, over time, is clearly needed and important. We also need more research on the soil and water conservation issues. The fertilizer overuse question needs attention. Finally, better knowledge of sustainable management is needed, which will involve careful research in selected plots with different management regimes.
Overall, this is an excellent review. There are very few numbers, though. The cited literature evidently has the actual quantitative data, but we readers could certainly use a bit more of it in this review. As it is, the scope of problems and the success of management strategies is hard to evaluate. Another need is description of the better ways of fertilizing bamboo plants. Injection, cavity, sink, and hole methods are mentioned but not described. These will not be familiar to all. (I have seen commercial bamboo forests in the authors' working province of Fujian, and even I have only a vague idea of the differences between those.)
Otherwise, I think the ms is clear and easy to follow, and will be extremely useful to anyone growing bamboo on a commercial scale. Bamboo forests are a major resource for the future, and need to be studied further to continue progress in maximizing both yield and ecosystem services.
Author Response
Point 1:This ms is a review of a large literature on the ecology of managed bamboo forests, and the ecosystem services of these forests. It reviews different management strategies and their various effects on the ecosystem services. The ms points out that China is particularly well endowed with bamboo, and its economic importance has always been great.
Response 1：We greatly appreciate the positive feedback from the experts on our work. We will continue to pursue related research to achieve more results.
Point 2:Bamboo forests are valuable resources. They are becoming more and more so, as world population increases and world ecology degrades. As the ms notes, bamboo can substitute for plastic in many uses. Bamboo is also a source of paper and many other materials. It is fast-growing (some varieties up to a meter in 3 or 4 days), easy to grow, and fairly easy to manage.
Response 2：We greatly appreciate the positive feedback from the experts on our work. We will continue to pursue related research to achieve more results.
Point 3:This ms focuses on a few topics. One is rainfall. Bamboo forests break the force of rain, to the degree that they are not opened up by harvesting. Leaves break the force of raindrops. Stemflow is important in shaping patterns of water getting to soil and percolating into it. Litter affects percolation of water into the soil, usually holding water, stopping runoff, protecting soil, and generally serving as a water conservation mechanism. The ms continues to discuss management regimes: harvesting patterns (clearcut, selective, or gradual), monocrop stands vs mixed stands with broadleaf or pine trees, and other issues. Fertilizing is considered, with a warning that overfertilizing is a major problem, leading not only to runoff of fertilizer but also to degrading the soil of the bamboo forests. Several better alternatives to general fertilizer scattering are mentioned, but not described or discussed.
Response 3：We express our gratitude for the invaluable insights provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We have made revisions in accordance with the expert. “Broadcast fertilization involves spreading fertilizer evenly across the soil surface. It doesn't directly reach the soil for root absorption. This method is highly efficient but has low fertilizer utilization., The cavity injection fertilization involves applying fertilizer within the bamboo culm, where it's directly absorbed by the cavity walls. This method enhances fertilization efficiency, minimizes soil disturbance, and accelerates stump decomposition. Fertilized stumps typically take 3–5 years to decay, which is 3–5 times faster than natural decomposition. Gully fertilization involves digging parallel trenches spaced 2 - 3 m apart along contour lines, with each trench 20 cm deep and 20 cm wide. Fertilizer is applied into the trenches and then covered with soil. The fertilizer, placed at a 20 cm soil depth, dissolves and moves through the soil. This process leverages the rhizome's tendency to grow towards nutrients, guiding rhizome growth to 20 cm- 30 cm depths and forming a robust underground rhizome structure. Additionally, gully fertilization creates terraces and loose soil zones along contour lines, enhancing water retention. The hole application refers to digging a ditch about 30 centimeters along the bamboo stump, with a depth of 15-20 centimeters and a width of 10-15 centimeters. The best ditch length is semi-circular. Apply fertilizer to the ditch and cover it with soil. The characteristics of this fertilization method are minimal soil disturbance and low nutrient loss rate. The nutrient loss rate of cavity injection fertilization, sink pattern and hole pattern, is significantly lower than that of surface fertilizer application, and the difference between sink pattern and hole pattern is not significant. Studies on Moso bamboo forests using soil fertilization with isotope 15N labeling shown that the N recovery efficiency of urea-15N was significantly higher for deep applications (30.62–31.14%) than for shallow applications (26.68–27.49%), whereas no significant difference was found between the furrow and hole applications.The highest N recovery efficiency (31.34%) and lowest N loss (49.91%)were observed for the furrow application at 20–40 cm. The uptake of broadcast-applied N fertilizer is relatively low in moso bamboo forests, and it has been shown that the N recovery efficiency was only 13.96%.”
Point 4:Finally, some very good questions are raised. Better sampling and monitoring, over time, is clearly needed and important. We also need more research on the soil and water conservation issues. The fertilizer overuse question needs attention. Finally, better knowledge of sustainable management is needed, which will involve careful research in selected plots with different management regimes.
Response 4：We are truly grateful for the experts' advice on our future research. We will keep studying related topics and value the experts' insights.
Point 5:Overall, this is an excellent review. There are very few numbers, though. The cited literature evidently has the actual quantitative data, but we readers could certainly use a bit more of it in this review. As it is, the scope of problems and the success of management strategies is hard to evaluate. Another need is description of the better ways of fertilizing bamboo plants. Injection, cavity, sink, and hole methods are mentioned but not described. These will not be familiar to all. (I have seen commercial bamboo forests in the authors' working province of Fujian, and even I have only a vague idea of the differences between those.)
Response 5：We express our gratitude for the invaluable insights provided by the expert. We apologize for any confusion caused by our unclear expression. We have made revisions in accordance with the expert. “Broadcast fertilization involves spreading fertilizer evenly across the soil surface. It doesn't directly reach the soil for root absorption. This method is highly efficient but has low fertilizer utilization., The cavity injection fertilization involves applying fertilizer within the bamboo culm, where it's directly absorbed by the cavity walls. This method enhances fertilization efficiency, minimizes soil disturbance, and accelerates stump decomposition. Fertilized stumps typically take 3–5 years to decay, which is 3–5 times faster than natural decomposition. Gully fertilization involves digging parallel trenches spaced 2 - 3 m apart along contour lines, with each trench 20 cm deep and 20 cm wide. Fertilizer is applied into the trenches and then covered with soil. The fertilizer, placed at a 20 cm soil depth, dissolves and moves through the soil. This process leverages the rhizome's tendency to grow towards nutrients, guiding rhizome growth to 20 cm- 30 cm depths and forming a robust underground rhizome structure. Additionally, gully fertilization creates terraces and loose soil zones along contour lines, enhancing water retention. The hole application refers to digging a ditch about 30 centimeters along the bamboo stump, with a depth of 15-20 centimeters and a width of 10-15 centimeters. The best ditch length is semi-circular. Apply fertilizer to the ditch and cover it with soil. The characteristics of this fertilization method are minimal soil disturbance and low nutrient loss rate. The nutrient loss rate of cavity injection fertilization, sink pattern and hole pattern, is significantly lower than that of surface fertilizer application, and the difference between sink pattern and hole pattern is not significant. Studies on Moso bamboo forests using soil fertilization with isotope 15N labeling shown that the N recovery efficiency of urea-15N was significantly higher for deep applications (30.62–31.14%) than for shallow applications (26.68–27.49%), whereas no significant difference was found between the furrow and hole applications.The highest N recovery efficiency (31.34%) and lowest N loss (49.91%)were observed for the furrow application at 20–40 cm. The uptake of broadcast-applied N fertilizer is relatively low in moso bamboo forests, and it has been shown that the N recovery efficiency was only 13.96%.”
Point 6:Otherwise, I think the ms is clear and easy to follow, and will be extremely useful to anyone growing bamboo on a commercial scale. Bamboo forests are a major resource for the future, and need to be studied further to continue progress in maximizing both yield and ecosystem services.
Response 6：We are truly grateful for the experts' advice on our future research. We will keep studying related topics and value the experts' insights.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsIt's ok. I don't have further concern
