Evaluation of Land Carrying Capacity of 31 Provinces in China Based on a Natural–Societal-Supply–Demand Framework
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper identifies a methodology for calculating the Land Carrying Capacity (LCC) of 31 provinces in China through the definition of a framework based on natural and societal supply and demand. Starting from four subsystems (Natural-Supply NS, Societal-Supply SS, Natural-Demand ND, and Societal-Demand SD) with their specific indicators, the authors applied the grey analysis method to evaluate each indicator and then calculate the LCC of each subsystem separately and comprehensively. The results allow for the mapping of the territory in terms of overload, balanced and surplus provinces. The analysis of obstacle indicators points out the primary overload types among the overloaded provinces in order to support targeted policies and actions.
The manuscript is well-structured, and the objectives and the conclusion are clear. The methodology is well-explained; however, some formulas need further explanations and check, and some sentences could better connect sections 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5. The conclusions and the discussion are clear and well-stated.
Abstract: The structured abstract - requested in the template - includes "(1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article's main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations.".
Please check if all these sections are included and add some information about the methodology followed for calculating LCC (NLCC and SLCC).
Line 130: "so only the v of carbon". Please check.
Formulas 1-12: Please check if every term in the formulas (1-12) is explained. Please check the i and j indexes.
Formula 6: yij is the standardized j-indicator in the i-region (formulas 1-2). The i index in Y represents the value of NS, SS, ND, and SD. Please use a different letter for indexes if they correspond to other information.
Line 197: Please add some conclusions here before starting the new section 2.4 to clarify better how the results from each subsystem will be used in the calculation of LCC.
Line 211: How do you decide to do this division into eight grades? (Rich, obviously, slight surplus, etc.) Please add some explanations.
Line 217: There are not any formulas 13-14. Formulas 10-12 are the same as 7-8 formulas. Please check.
Lines 218-219: Please check (see the previous comment).
Lines 232-233: Please add the reference to the formula used for calculating NS, SS, ND, and SD, represented in Figure 2.
Line 236: In Figure 2, there are also ND and SD. Please update the caption.
Line 267: Please replace "Figure 2" with "Figure 3".
Lines 272-273: "The value of ND and SD is very close in most provinces, except Guangdong, Sichuan, and Tibet.". Also, for other provinces values of ND and SD are quite different. Please check.
Table 5: SS6 and SS7 obstacle degrees are missing in the table. Please check.
Figure 8 and Lines 310-312: For some provinces, in the left part of the chart (Figure 8), even if the total obstacle degree greater than 50% is obtained with only 3 obstacle indicators, 4 indicators are represented here (i.e., Xinjiang, Ningxia, Qinghai, etc.). Could you please explain why you made this choice, and you considered more obstacle indicators than the necessary ones to reach >50%?
Lines 322-335: How do you identify the different types of NLCC, SLCC and LCC overloaded provinces? Please add further explanation to support the division you proposed.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
This manuscript analyzes the land-carrying capacity of 31 provinces in China based on a Natural-Societal- Supply-Demand framework. On this basis, a comparative analysis of the factors was performed. However, the manuscript needs further improvement. Some suggestions and comments are as follows.
1、 Natural and social demands are not convincingly calculated using the status data in the statistical yearbook. It may be caused by resource limitations. Furthermore, please clarify the category of the population,
2、 The basis for dividing the eight grades of LCC needs to be clarified
3、 The obstacles indicators analysis section is more similar to the factor analysis in this manuscript.
4、 Obstacles indicators for land-carrying capacity usually include natural constraints, such as elevation and soil.
5、 The manuscript needs careful editing for readability, e.g., Formulas 12-14 (line 217), formula10 vs. formula12– please check.
6、 The classification of indicators needs a more detailed basis, e.g., residential land and other construction lands. Typically, it belongs to the socially scaled.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you so much for your intresting submission. Befor publication i sggest folowwing improvment:
reduce the introduction sector and state resrch gap while you should hilight your novetly. furthermore in the end of introduction, explicity state your goal.
please state policy implication base on your research and research limitation.
finally improve your refrencess i have an example:
Factors affecting the implementation of soil conservation practices among Iranian farmers
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Good job
