A Study of the Coupling Relationship Between Industry–Economy–Population and Habitat Quality in the Kuye River Basin

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thanks for inviting me to review the manuscript entitled "The research of the coupling relationship between industry-economy-population and habitat quality in Kuye River Basin". The study constructs an indicator system of industry-economic-population and habitat quality in Kuye River Basin. The discussions in this study are with some significance. However, there are some serious problems the authors should carefully improve according to the comments.

The comments are as follows:

1. The abstract is not well written, please use one clear sentence to introduce the background and one or two sentences to introduce the study including the data, method, and related information. Several sentences introduce the key findings of this study. And finally, express the policy implications. However, each abstract sentence is not well written, and some sentences are hard to read.

2. Section 1. Introduction: (1) What does “Error! Reference source not found..” mean? (line 30 et al.) Please check this problem in the whole manuscript; (2) The references in the introduction are quite limited and well expressed, please improve this.

3. Section 2. Materials and Methods: (1) Can you have a bigger map to show the location of Basin in China? Be kind to the readers; (2) The selection and measurement of the variables in Table 2 should have reference sources, please add the references; (3) Please introduce the detail of the data source of each variable.

3. Section 3. Result. (1) The maps in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 are too small to read, please make them bigger and clearer; (2) Why you select the data between 2011 and 2020? According to the statistical yearbook, the data can be updated to 2022 at least.

4. Section 5. Conclusions: (1) The authors should have a concise conclusion; (2) the authors should include recommended policy and research limitations. Besides, the policy recommendations should be carefully explained and combined with some examples to help the reader understand.

5. Reference. (1) Please carefully check the reference format and style of MDPI in both the manuscript and the reference part, please use the format of Sustainability as well; (2) Please delete the low-quality references, such as those non-SCI/SSCI papers, for example, [1], [12], [14], [16], [18], [25]; (3) Please control the number of the references in Chinese and it is better to delete them as well, for example, [6], [20], [23], [26], [27]; (4) Many references are too old, please update the reference to enrich your research contribution and significance; (5) Most importantly, some valuable references are ignored by the authors and must be considered. For example, a. Zhang et al. (2023, sustainability). Does Digital Infrastructure Improve Urban Economic Resilience? b. Zhang et al. (2024, Systems). Empowerment of Digital Technology for the Resilience of the Logistics Industry. c. Zhang et al. (PJOES 2024). Institutional Configuration Study of Urban Green Economic Efficiency.

6. The written language in this paper is not, the authors must consider the language editing service; such as MDPI. Please provide the certificate as well.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The written language in this paper is not, the authors must consider the language editing service; such as MDPI. Please provide the certificate as well.

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

    Thank you very much for reviewing my thesis in your busy time. I have seriously considered and revised your valuable opinions and suggestions. The following is my detailed revision of the review comments.The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure.

Reviewer.1#

1. The abstract is not well written, please use one clear sentence to introduce the background and one or two sentences to introduce the study including the data, method, and related information. Several sentences introduce the key findings of this study. And finally, express the policy implications. However, each abstract sentence is not well written, and some sentences are hard to read.

The author’s answer:Thank you for your guidance, we have carefully reviewed the manuscript and rewritten the summary section.The following is the revised summary.

With the continuous development of social economy, the process of urbanization has developed rapidly. The rise of industry, economic growth and population agglomeration have also caused damage to biodiversity while promoting social progress, resulting in a downward trend in habitat quality and increasing regional differences. It is urgent to solve the problem between social and economic development and ecological environment and improve the quality of regional habitat. Based on the land use data and socio-economic data from 2000 to 2023, this paper uses the InVEST model to reveal the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin, and establishes a comprehensive index system of industry-economy-population-habitat quality. The entropy method and the coupling coordination degree model are used to measure the degree of coordinated development. The study found that the habitat quality in some areas of the Kuye River Basin showed a downward trend from 2000 to 2023. The coupling degree ( C ) between industry-economy-population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin showed an upward trend in most counties, and a trend of first strengthening and then decreasing in individual areas, which was an inverted 'U ' type distribution. The degree of coupling coordination ( D ) is on the rise as a whole. In the process of development, industry, economy, population and habitat quality are more coordinated. The purpose of this study is to draw a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of the Kuye River Basin, and to provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization.

 

2. Section 1. Introduction: (1) What does “Error! Reference source not found..” mean? (line 30 et al.) Please check this problem in the whole manuscript; (2) The references in the introduction are quite limited and well expressed, please improve this.

The author’s answer:（1）Thank you for your careful examination. I am sorry for our carelessness. Based on your comments, we checked the citations in the entire draft and corrected them.（2）We modify the introduction part as a whole and reinsert the literature. The following is an introduction to the new revision.

With the continuous development of social economy, the process of urbanization is developing rapidly. The rise of industry, economic growth and population agglomeration not only promote the progress of society, but also cause damage to biodiversity, which leads to the fragility of regional ecosystem and the degradation of ecological environment to varying degrees 错误!未找到引用源。错误!未找到引用源。错误!未找到引用源。. As one of the important contents of ecological civilization construction, habitat quality plays an important role in the development of national economy and society. Habitat quality is reflected in a specific time and space, and the ability of ecosystems to continuously provide an appropriate environment for the survival and development of individuals and populations is an important representation of regional biodiversity and ecological services错误!未找到引用源。. Improving habitat quality can provide high-quality natural resources and ecological services for industries, promote green development of the economy, and provide a healthy and comfortable living environment for the population^{错误!未找到引用源。}. In recent years, with the problems of resources and human beings becoming more and more prominent, the quality of habitat has been declining and the regional differences have been expanding. Therefore, it is urgent to solve the problem between social and economic development and ecological environment and improve the quality of regional habitats.

The Yellow River Basin is an important national ecological security barrier, and its ecosystem plays an important role in social and economic development^{错误!未找到引用源。}. In the national key strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, it also pointed out the green, ecological, systematic and overall development path of the Yellow River Basin^{错误!未找到引用源。}. The coarse sand area in the middle reaches of the Yellow River belongs to the national key soil erosion control area, which is an important area of economic construction and ecological construction in China^{错误!未找到引用源。}. Kuye River is the first tributary of the Yellow River, which is located on the right bank of the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River. It is one of the main sources of coarse sediment of the Yellow River. It flows through Ordos City, Inner Mongolia and Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. The geomorphological features are mainly hills and gullies. It is mainly composed of strongly weathered sandstone and sandy land. The area of wind and sandy land accounts for about 6.4 % of the total area. Its ecological environment quality affects the ecological security of the Yellow River Basin and the quality of life of people in the flowing areas^{错误!未找到引用源。}. With the development of economy and the progress of society, the population continues to gather in the basin, and human disturbance activities such as mineral exploitation and urban construction are frequent, which has a profound impact on the demand for resources, the development of industry and the carrying capacity of the ecological environment错误!未找到引用源。. The relationship between industrial structure, economic development, population change and ecological environment quality has become increasingly close and complex. The industry-economy-population-habitat quality of the Kuye River Basin is composed of four systems. The industrial structure is an important link between human economic activities and the ecological environment. Different types of industrial structures have different effects on the ecological environment. People are the main body of social activities and economic development. From the perspective of social and economic development, population is an indispensable booster for regional economy. The level of regional economy is one of the main factors affecting population aggregation. Therefore, it is of great significance to correctly coordinate the relationship between economy, industry, population and ecological environment in Kuye River Basin to ensure the sustainability of the basin.

The coupling coordination degree model can examine the interaction between different systems and the level of coordinated development, and then correctly guide the development of the region. In recent years, the coupling coordination degree model is more applied to the coordinated development of regional economy and environment, the relationship between industry and resources and environment, urban and rural development and other fields错误!未找到引用源。. By combing the relevant literature, it can be found that the existing research on coupling coordination mostly focuses on the coupling coordination analysis of ecological and economic two systems, water-economy-ecosystem or ecological, economic and industrial three systems. Huang et al. evaluated the level of urbanization in Kazakhstan and analyzed the differences in urbanization development in different regions. It may involve the construction and analysis of indicators in multiple dimensions such as population urbanization, economic urbanization ( such as industrial structure, economic development level and other economic indicators related to urbanization ), spatial urbanization ( urban spatial layout, land use, etc. ), in order to fully reflect the urbanization situation in Kazakhstan错误!未找到引用源。. Di and Hua used the coupling coordination degree model to reveal the spatio-temporal evolution process of mineral-economy-environment coupling in the Yangtze River Economic Belt^{错误!未找到引用源。}. Ren and Du analyzed the comprehensive level of economic growth, industrial development and ecological environment systems of 62 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2012 to 2018, and the spatial and temporal differences and driving factors of the coupling coordination degree of the three systems^{错误!未找到引用源。}. There is little systematic analysis of the coupling and coordination relationship among industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin.

In view of this, this paper takes the Kuye River Basin as the research object. Based on the characteristics of the three systems of regional industrial structure, economic development level and population, as well as the statistical yearbook data, the InVEST model and the coupling coordination degree model are used to construct the comprehensive evaluation index system of industry-economy-population-habitat quality. The spatial and temporal changes of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023 were measured, and the degree of coordinated development between industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023 was revealed. The purpose of this study is to promote the coordinated development of economic development, population growth and ecological environment quality in Kuye River Basin by studying the relationship between the four, and to draw a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of Kuye River Basin, so as to provide scientific basis for the comprehensive management of ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization.

 

3. Section 2. Materials and Methods: (1) Can you have a bigger map to show the location of Basin in China? Be kind to the readers; (2) The selection and measurement of the variables in Table 2 should have reference sources, please add the references; (3) Please introduce the detail of the data source of each variable.

The author’s answer:（1）Thank you for your suggestions, we added China 's administrative boundaries to the study area map.（2）We have added relevant references.（3）We made a detailed table in this part of the data source.We made a detailed table in this part of the data source.

 

3. Section 3. Result. (1) The maps in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 are too small to read, please make them bigger and clearer; (2) Why you select the data between 2011 and 2020? According to the statistical yearbook, the data can be updated to 2022 at least.

The author’s answer:（1）Thank you for your suggestion that we re-adjust the size of the figure in the entire draft.（2）When we started writing, we could not find the latest land use data. Without land use data, we could not do the quality of birth, so we chose the data from 2000 to 2020. Now we have found the data of 2023, so we have supplemented the data of 2023 in the whole draft.

4. Section 5. Conclusions: (1) The authors should have a concise conclusion; (2) the authors should include recommended policy and research limitations. Besides, the policy recommendations should be carefully explained and combined with some examples to help the reader understand.

The author’s answer:（1）Thank you for your suggestion, we have revised the whole conclusion part.（2）We carefully reviewed the conclusion part and added some actual cases of the Kuye River Basin to explain our proposed case.

The InVEST model was used to reveal the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023. The comprehensive evaluation index system of industry, economy, population and habitat quality was established, and the weight of each index was calculated by entropy method. The software ArcGIS and Aerialod were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of population and GDP in the basin, and the coupling coordination degree model was used to explore the coordinated development degree between ' industry-economy-population ' and habitat quality. The research results have practical guiding significance and scientific and technological role for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment of the Kuye River Basin, the strategic place to ensure national energy security, and the construction of an important ecological barrier in northern China.

The results showed that from 2000 to 2023, the Kuye River Basin was dominated by medium and high habitat quality areas. The low-grade habitat quality areas are mainly distributed in the central and northeastern mining areas and construction land areas. The northwest and south-central regions are the key research areas of medium habitat quality. The overall habitat quality has improved, and some areas have a downward trend. The Kuye River Basin is mainly dominated by the second industry. The growth rate of the first industry is relatively slow and the number is small. The second and third industries are faster and larger. It is mainly because a series of industrial activities driven by large-scale mining are very active, which greatly promotes the development of the secondary industry and promotes the growth of the tertiary industry and regional GDP. The economic development of the basin shows a significant growth trend. The northern part expands to the surrounding areas with Dongsheng District and Kangbashi District as the center, the central part shows a steady growth trend, and the southern part shows a rapid growth, especially from 2015 to 2023. The population is gradually concentrated in Dongsheng District, Kangbashi District, Shenmu City and other urban areas, and the total population of each county is increasing. The coupling degree ( C ) between the three systems of ' industry-economy-population ' and habitat quality in the counties of the Kuye River Basin showed an upward trend in most counties, and a trend of first strengthening and then decreasing in individual areas, which was an inverted ' U ' type distribution.

In order to promote the coordinated development of social economy and ecological environment in Kuye River Basin, the ecological restoration project of Kuye River Basin should be implemented, including river regulation, soil erosion control, wetland protection and so on. Through afforestation, grass slope protection and other measures to improve the vegetation coverage of the basin, reduce soil erosion. Establish and improve the ecological compensation mechanism of Kuye River Basin, and compensate the areas and people who pay the price for protecting the ecological environment. Explore diversified ecological compensation methods, such as financial compensation, technical compensation, industrial support, etc., to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of ecological compensation. Encourage industrial enterprises in the basin to carry out technological transformation and upgrading, promote clean production technology, and reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions. The development of circular economy, promote the efficient use of resources and recycling, the establishment of industrial park circular economy industrial chain. Establish a special fund for ecological and environmental protection research, and encourage technical research and application in the fields of water resources protection, ecological restoration, and pollution prevention and control.

 

5. (1) Please carefully check the reference format and style of MDPI in both the manuscript and the reference part, please use the format of Sustainability as well; (2) Please delete the low-quality references, such as those non-SCI/SSCI papers, for example, [1], [12], [14], [16], [18], [25]; (3) Please control the number of the references in Chinese and it is better to delete them as well, for example, [6], [20], [23], [26], [27]; (4) Many references are too old, please update the reference to enrich your research contribution and significance; (5) Most importantly, some valuable references are ignored by the authors and must be considered. For example, a. Zhang et al. (2023, sustainability). Does Digital Infrastructure Improve Urban Economic Resilience? b. Zhang et al. (2024, Systems). Empowerment of Digital Technology for the Resilience of the Logistics Industry. c. Zhang et al. (PJOES 2024). Institutional Configuration Study of Urban Green Economic Efficiency.

The author’s answer:（1）I 'm sorry for our carelessness, we carefully checked the reference format and modified it. ( 2 ) We have deleted the relevant references and inserted new references. ( 3 ) The Chinese literature in the manuscript was modified. ( 4 ) Selected recent literature. ( 5 ) Some valuable references are supplemented.

 

6. The written language in this paper is not, the authors must consider the language editing service; such as MDPI. Please provide the certificate as well.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your opinion, we also attach great importance to this,and the full text of the written language has been improved.

 

我们对论文进行了全面而细致的修订，以提高其学术质量和可读性。在此，我们衷心感谢审稿人提出的宝贵意见和建议，他们对推动我们的研究发挥了极其重要的作用。同时，我们热切期待编辑和审稿人再次审阅修改后的论文，给我们进一步改进论文的机会。展望未来，我们将继续关注该领域的发展，并开展更深入、更深入的研究。我们希望在后续研究中，能够进一步拓展研究的深度和广度，为解决相关领域的实际问题提供更有价值的理论支持和切实可行的解决方案。

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study aims to investigate the coupling relationship between industry, economy, population, and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin. Specifically, the study seeks to achieve harmonious development among these elements, which is crucial for sustainable development in an area that is significantly affected by erosion. The research constructs an indicator system to analyse these relationships and assess the interactions between the various components over the period from 2000 to 2020.

Below are my suggestions:

1) In-text citations - all are shown "Error! Reference source not found."

2) Research aim - The first part of "introduction" needs a improvement to clearly and concisely state the reasons and motivation of doing this research, and importance of this study.

3) At the end of the introduction, need to discuss whether the implications of this study can be generalised to other contexts or locations.

4) In 2.1, the overview of the study area didn't provide useful information nor link to the study itself - the key features (industry, economy, population, etc) of the area should be introduced. 

5) Neither "introduction" nor Section 2.3 explained the reasons for using these methods over others. Additionally, need to explain how to apply these methods step by step to achieve the research objectives. A simple flow-chart might help.

6) In 3.1, the author claimed that "habitat quality has improved in basin" However, what I can see from Figure 2 is that the dark red area becomes larger over time, which indicates that habitat quality has worsen.

7) Figures 6 and 7 did not show clear cross-sectional patterns. I suggest using simpler charts.

8) Please use a consistent legend for all panels in Figure 8.

9) The discussion should follow the findings. I suggest breaking down the discussion section and moving the relevant parts to Section 3 so that the discussion is built upon the findings, while combining the policy implications into the Conclusion.

10) Policy implications need to be re-written. "In addition, it is necessary to strengthen policy guidance and institutional construction, establish a sound coordination mechanism for ecological environmental protection and 508 economic development, and promote the benign interaction of industry, economy, population and ecological environment quality." is not a policy implication. You need to clearly explain how your findings influence governance, policies, or political decisions.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Moderate editing of English language required.

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

    Thank you very much for reviewing my thesis in your busy time. I have seriously considered and revised your valuable opinions and suggestions. The following is my detailed revision of the review comments.The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure.

 

Reviewer.2#

 

• In-text citations - all are shown "Error! Reference source not found."

The author’s answer: （1）Thank you for your careful examination. I am sorry for our carelessness. Based on your comments, we checked the citations in the entire draft and corrected them.

• Research aim - The first part of "introduction" needs a improvement to clearly and concisely state the reasons and motivation of doing this research, and importance of this study.

The author’s answer:Thank you for your suggestions, we will be the first part of the introduction according to your suggestions were modified. The following is the modified first part.

With the continuous development of social economy, the process of urbanization is developing rapidly. The rise of industry, economic growth and population agglomeration not only promote the progress of society, but also cause damage to biodiversity, which leads to the fragility of regional ecosystem and the degradation of ecological environment to varying degrees. As one of the important contents of ecological civilization construction, habitat quality plays an important role in the development of national economy and society. Habitat quality is reflected in a specific time and space, and the ability of ecosystems to continuously provide an appropriate environment for the survival and development of individuals and populations is an important representation of regional biodiversity and ecological service. Improving habitat quality can provide high-quality natural resources and ecological services for industries, promote green development of the economy, and provide a healthy and comfortable living environment for the population^{错误!未找到引用源。}. In recent years, with the problems of resources and human beings becoming more and more prominent, the quality of habitat has been declining and the regional differences have been expanding. Therefore, it is urgent to solve the problem between social and economic development and ecological environment and improve the quality of regional habitats.

 

• At the end of the introduction, need to discuss whether the implications of this study can be generalised to other contexts or locations.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your suggestions, we have adjusted the last paragraph of the introduction as a whole, adding to the significance of the study. The following is the modified content.

In view of this, this paper takes the Kuye River Basin as the research object. Based on the characteristics of the three systems of regional industrial structure, economic development level and population, as well as the statistical yearbook data, the InVEST model and the coupling coordination degree model are used to construct the comprehensive evaluation index system of industry-economy-population-habitat quality. The spatial and temporal changes of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023 were measured, and the degree of coordinated development between industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023 was revealed. The purpose of this study is to promote the coordinated development of economic development, population growth and ecological environment quality in Kuye River Basin by studying the relationship between the four, and to draw a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of Kuye River Basin, so as to provide scientific basis for the comprehensive management of ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization.

 

• In 2.1, the overview of the study area didn't provide useful information nor link to the study itself - the key features (industry, economy, population, etc) of the area should be introduced.

The author’s answer: Thanks for your guidance, we carefully reviewed the content of the study area and supplemented it with the content of industry, economy and population.

Coal industry is the most important industry in Kuye River Basin, which is rich in coal resources. Shendong mining area is one of the earliest and largest coal mining bases in China. The accelerated expansion of the coal industry has promoted rapid economic growth and has become an important pillar of the basin economy.The population in the upper reaches is mainly concentrated in Dongsheng and Kangbashi. The downstream Shenmu and surrounding areas are more concentrated.

 

• Neither "introduction" nor Section 2.3 explained the reasons for using these methods over others. Additionally, need to explain how to apply these methods step by step to achieve the research objectives. A simple flow-chart might help.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your suggestion, we supplement the flow chart in the research method. The following is the flow chart we made out.

 

• In 3.1, the author claimed that "habitat quality has improved in basin" However, what I can see from Figure 2 is that the dark red area becomes larger over time, which indicates that habitat quality has worsen.

The author’s answer: I am sorry for our carelessness. We re-verified the changes in habitat quality, and there was a clear trend of deterioration in some areas. We modified the relevant parts of the manuscript.

On the whole, the area of high-quality habitat quality area is larger than that of low-quality habitat area, but with the passage of time, some areas show a significant downward trend.

• Figures 6 and 7 did not show clear cross-sectional patterns. I suggest using simpler charts.

The author’s answer: Thanks for your suggestion, we have modified Figure 6 and Figure 7. The following is a comparison chart before and after modification.

 

• Please use a consistent legend for all panels in Figure 8.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your suggestion, we have revised Figure 8. The following is a comparison before and after the revision.

 

• The discussion should follow the findings. I suggest breaking down the discussion section and moving the relevant parts to Section 3 so that the discussion is built upon the findings, while combining the policy implications into the Conclusion.

The author’s answer: Thanks for your suggestion, we will move the discussion to the third part. And re-revised to streamline the discussion section.

This study mainly discusses the coordinated development level of habitat quality from the perspective of human factors such as industry, economy and population in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023. Over the past 23 years, human factors have profoundly affected the ecological environment of the basin. Industrial expansion and optimization, economic restructuring, population growth and distribution changes have become key indicators for assessing habitat quality. The coordination degree of the Kuye River Basin has changed from imbalance to coordination. The rationalization of the industrial structure of the basin has provided impetus for economic growth. Economic development has promoted the optimization of the industrial structure and provided financial and technical support for the improvement of the ecological environment quality of the basin. The proportion of the tertiary industry has increased, while the proportion of some industries with high pollution and high energy consumption has declined. The direct impact of the tertiary industry on the environment is relatively small, which promotes the improvement of habitat quality. Population growth is often accompanied by increased economic activity. Domestic sewage and agricultural and industrial sewage are discharged into the basin without effective treatment, which will lead to problems such as river water quality decline and lake eutrophication.

When discussing the relationship between economic development and environmental protection, it is generally recognized that the balance between short-term development and long-term interests is crucial. Although in the short term, economic growth may lead to overexploitation of resources and environmental pollution, in the long run, reasonable economic development strategies can promote the improvement of the ecological environment and the improvement of ecological service functions. By implementing sustainable development strategies, improving resource utilization efficiency, and promoting green technologies and clean energy, a win-win situation between economic benefits and environmental quality can be achieved. Applying the environmental Kuznets curve ( EKC ) and the stochastic effects of population, affluence and technology ( STIRPAT ) structure, and using panel data regression of Asian economies from 1990 to 2019, Sultana, S., etc.explored the impact of economic growth on environmental degradation and the role of innovation in achieving sustainable development. I believe that this study has insufficient consideration of the impact of policy and institutional factors on the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. The policy environment, environmental regulations and industrial policies of different countries and regions have an important impact on economic growth and environmental quality. Based on the construction of a comprehensive evaluation index system for high-quality economic development, Yang et al.studied the spatial distribution characteristics of high-quality regional development, and used the economic geography nested spatial Dubin model to conduct an empirical test to explore the spatial effect of environmental regulation on high-quality economic development. By constructing a comprehensive evaluation index system of high-quality economic development, this study considers various factors such as economy, society and environment, and provides a more comprehensive index system and analysis method for the study of regional development in spatial economics.

Population size and structure have a direct impact on sustained economic growth. Some study explores the relationship between population size and growth and environmental integrity, human prosperity and well-being, and climate change, highlighting the potential benefits of population decline for the environment and human health. An appropriate population size helps to reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution, while creating more opportunities for employment and promoting socio-economic activities. Demographic changes, such as an ageing population, require corresponding policy adjustments to ensure the stability of the labour market and economic vitality. In addition, the problems of living space demand, traffic pressure and energy consumption caused by the acceleration of urbanization need to be solved by optimizing urban planning and infrastructure construction, so as to reduce the pressure on the environment and promote the development of green cities. Densely populated areas often face more serious environmental problems, such as traffic congestion, garbage disposal difficulties, air pollution and so on. This study analyzes the impact of population growth on carbon dioxide emissions and urban land use change in Europe from 1990 to 2006, and finds that population growth in Western Europe has a significant impact on carbon dioxide emissions and urban land use increase, while other factors in Eastern Europe seem to be more important.

The investment in environmental protection is not only a necessary condition for economic development, but also a key factor in achieving high-quality development. By increasing investment in environmental protection, it can not only reduce pollution emissions and protect natural resources, but also promote the development and application of new technologies and promote the upgrading and transformation of industrial structure. This investment not only contributes to the steady growth of the current economy, but also lays a solid foundation for future sustainable development. Therefore, while pursuing economic growth, environmental protection must be incorporated into strategic planning to achieve a harmonious coexistence between the economy and the environment. This study combines the relevant theories and methods of economics and ecology to explore the design-driven regional industrial transformation and upgrading path under the background of sustainable transformation. Taking Huaihua City, Hunan Province, China as an example, this paper evaluates the industrial base of the region through ecological footprint, human development index and ecological welfare performance, which provides a theoretical basis and quantitative measurement standard for the sustainable transformation of regional industries. ndustrial pollution has caused concerns about the environment and the economy. This study investigated the impact of green industry transformation on Pakistan 's carbon intensity reduction from 1975 to 2020. The results show that green industry transformation is related to lower carbon emissions, but technological innovation, R & D investment and foreign direct investment will increase a country 's carbon emissions.

In order to realize the coordinated development of industry, economy, population composite system and ecological environment quality, a series of strategies need to be adopted. According to the characteristics and differences of different regions in the basin, differentiated policy recommendations should be put forward. In the industrial town and coal chemical industry base, adhere to the environmental priority, optimize the industrial structure and layout ; in the key development areas, adhere to the coordinated development of environment and economy ; in the restricted development area, adhere to the protection. The annual mine drainage water produced by coal mining in Shenmu exceeds 127 million cubic meters, and the available water resources in the city are limited. To this end, the Shenmu Municipal Government issued the ' Opinions on the Comprehensive Utilization of Mine Drainage Water in Shenmu '. In accordance with the ' Government-led, enterprise-funded, unified planning, and orderly advancement ' approach, the construction of 19 coal mine drainage water comprehensive utilization projects in 3 large areas of Daliuta, Jinjie and Lantan Industrial Demonstration Park was launched. The mine drainage water after treatment is widely used in ecological construction, farmland irrigation, and pastoral complex water replenishment, which not only solves the problem of water use, but also solves the environmental protection problem caused by the discharge of coal mine sewage. In addition, the People 's Procuratorate of Shenmu has deeply practiced the concept of restorative justice and promoted the ecological restoration of coal mines. For example, in Dabaodang Town, a coal company did not strictly follow the approved soil and water conservation plan for mine geological environment treatment after open-pit mining of raw coal, resulting in the destruction of the ecological environment. After the Shenmu People 's Procuratorate filed a case, it urged the relevant departments to order the coal companies to carry out time-limited governance. The Yellow River flows through 98 kilometers of Shenmu. In order to promote the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin in the jurisdiction, Shenmu has implemented key river basin ecological restoration and management projects, and planted trees on the bare hills on both sides of the Kuye River and Tuwei River Basin to improve the ecological environment of the basin. According to the research results, by 2023, the coordination degree of Shenmu has reached good coordination, and other regions have reached primary coordination, indicating that the policies, measures and management methods adopted by various regions in the basin are relatively effective. Whether it is in economic policy formulation, industrial planning or environmental protection strategy, it has achieved positive results.

In the process of exploring the interaction of complex systems, one of the challenges is how to accurately capture and quantify the dynamic relationships between different fields. In this study, although we have spatially processed population data, we only considered several key factors due to limited data collection and analysis capabilities, which may lead to certain deviations in the description of population distribution. In order to make up for this deficiency, we try to provide a macro perspective by constructing a spatial distribution map of basin GDP.Although we have not obtained specific data for 2023, these maps still reveal the distribution characteristics of economic activities in geographical space. The spatialization of socio-economic data is a multi-dimensional and multi-level process, which is of great significance for understanding regional development, resource allocation and policy formulation. However, the problems encountered in the process of practice can not be ignored. The design of the index system is often too simplified to fully reflect the complex interaction between industry, economy, population and ecological environment system. In addition, our research on the internal mechanism of the interaction between the systems in the Kuye River Basin, such as how industrial activities affect the economic structure, population distribution, and then affect habitat quality and ecosystem services, is still at the surface level and lacks in-depth analysis. Future research directions should pay more attention to interdisciplinary integration, and adopt more sophisticated data collection methods and analysis techniques to more fully understand and predict the dynamic changes of these systems. At the same time, the development of models that can comprehensively consider various influencing factors will help to improve our understanding of complex system behavior and provide scientific basis for relevant policy formulation and environmental management.

 

• Policy implications need to be re-written. "In addition, it is necessary to strengthen policy guidance and institutional construction, establish a sound coordination mechanism for ecological environmental protection and 508 economic development, and promote the benign interaction of industry, economy, population and ecological environment quality." is not a policy implication. You need to clearly explain how your findings influence governance, policies, or political decisions.

The author’s answer: Thanks for your suggestion. We provide additional information on governance methods and related policies.

The InVEST model was used to reveal the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023. The comprehensive evaluation index system of industry, economy, population and habitat quality was established, and the weight of each index was calculated by entropy method. The software ArcGIS and Aerialod were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of population and GDP in the basin, and the coupling coordination degree model was used to explore the coordinated development degree between ' industry-economy-population ' and habitat quality. The research results have practical guiding significance and scientific and technological role for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment of the Kuye River Basin, the strategic place to ensure national energy security, and the construction of an important ecological barrier in northern China.

The results showed that from 2000 to 2023, the Kuye River Basin was dominated by medium and high habitat quality areas. The low-grade habitat quality areas are mainly distributed in the central and northeastern mining areas and construction land areas. The northwest and south-central regions are the key research areas of medium habitat quality. The overall habitat quality has improved, and some areas have a downward trend. The Kuye River Basin is mainly dominated by the second industry. The growth rate of the first industry is relatively slow and the number is small. The second and third industries are faster and larger. It is mainly because a series of industrial activities driven by large-scale mining are very active, which greatly promotes the development of the secondary industry and promotes the growth of the tertiary industry and regional GDP. The economic development of the basin shows a significant growth trend. The northern part expands to the surrounding areas with Dongsheng District and Kangbashi District as the center, the central part shows a steady growth trend, and the southern part shows a rapid growth, especially from 2015 to 2023. The population is gradually concentrated in Dongsheng District, Kangbashi District, Shenmu City and other urban areas, and the total population of each county is increasing. The coupling degree ( C ) between the three systems of ' industry-economy-population ' and habitat quality in the counties of the Kuye River Basin showed an upward trend in most counties, and a trend of first strengthening and then decreasing in individual areas, which was an inverted ' U ' type distribution.

In order to promote the coordinated development of social economy and ecological environment in Kuye River Basin, the ecological restoration project of Kuye River Basin should be implemented, including river regulation, soil erosion control, wetland protection and so on. Through afforestation, grass slope protection and other measures to improve the vegetation coverage of the basin, reduce soil erosion. Establish and improve the ecological compensation mechanism of Kuye River Basin, and compensate the areas and people who pay the price for protecting the ecological environment. Explore diversified ecological compensation methods, such as financial compensation, technical compensation, industrial support, etc., to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of ecological compensation. Encourage industrial enterprises in the basin to carry out technological transformation and upgrading, promote clean production technology, and reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions. The development of circular economy, promote the efficient use of resources and recycling, the establishment of industrial park circular economy industrial chain. Establish a special fund for ecological and environmental protection research, and encourage technical research and application in the fields of water resources protection, ecological restoration, and pollution prevention and control.

 

我们对论文进行了全面而细致的修订，以提高其学术质量和可读性。在此，我们衷心感谢审稿人提出的宝贵意见和建议，他们对推动我们的研究发挥了极其重要的作用。同时，我们热切期待编辑和审稿人再次审阅修改后的论文，给我们进一步改进论文的机会。展望未来，我们将继续关注该领域的发展，并开展更深入、更深入的研究。我们希望在后续研究中，能够进一步拓展研究的深度和广度，为解决相关领域的实际问题提供更有价值的理论支持和切实可行的解决方案。

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for the opportunity to get acquainted with an interesting study combining important economic and environmental aspects.

The study presents an interesting study of the evolution of economic and natural systems. It seems that the authors have not clearly defined the purpose of the study.

In the abstract, the authors talk about building an individual system of the "industry - economy-population" system. In the introduction, the authors defined the goal – to identify the mechanism of interactions and the internal relationship between industry, the economy, the population and the quality of the environment. Along with this, in the text, the authors talk about building a comprehensive assessment system.

In the Research and Methods section, the authors poorly justified the selected methods and did not show a connection with other studies.

If I understood correctly, the authors used GDP at current prices in their calculations. If so, then the comparison for different periods will not be correct. It is necessary to use GDP at constant prices to eliminate the impact of inflation.

Despite the fact that there are four parameters in formulas 5 and 7, Table 2 shows indicators only for Industry, Economy and Population. Habitat quality subsystem score (U4) is not mentioned anywhere.

Links to sources do not work. Therefore, it is impossible to assess how well the sources are indicated. The discussion and conclusions are weak. It is difficult to imagine their theoretical and practical significance. The formulations are very general and well-known theses.

Sometimes controversial theses. For example, how will the state reasonably control population growth and optimize population distribution? What does it mean to improve the quality of the population? The weak point of the study is the lack of vision of the authors about the causes of changes in the degree of communication between the three systems of “industry-economy-population".

Related economic phenomena and processes are not fully disclosed. Mostly facts.

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

    Thank you very much for reviewing my thesis in your busy time. I have seriously considered and revised your valuable opinions and suggestions. The following is my detailed revision of the review comments.The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure.

 

Reviewer.3#

 

The study presents an interesting study of the evolution of economic and natural systems. It seems that the authors have not clearly defined the purpose of the study.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments, we redefined the purpose of the study and added.

The purpose of this study is to put forward suggestions to promote the coordinated development of economic development, population growth and ecological environment quality in the Kuye River Basin by studying the degree of coordination between the four, to draw a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of the Kuye River Basin, and to provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization.

In the abstract, the authors talk about building an individual system of the "industry - economy-population" system. In the introduction, the authors defined the goal – to identify the mechanism of interactions and the internal relationship between industry, the economy, the population and the quality of the environment. Along with this, in the text, the authors talk about building a comprehensive assessment system.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments. According to your suggestion, we have revised the original draft.

In the Research and Methods section, the authors poorly justified the selected methods and did not show a connection with other studies.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments，According to your suggestion, we have revised the original draft.

If I understood correctly, the authors used GDP at current prices in their calculations. If so, then the comparison for different periods will not be correct. It is necessary to use GDP at constant prices to eliminate the impact of inflation.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your suggestions. We know that China currently replaces the base period of constant price value added every 5 years. Therefore, we selected 2000,2005,2010,2015 and 2020 as the base period to reconvert GDP. The specific conversion method is as follows.

Invariable price GDP = current price GDP / price index

Price index = current price / base price

Despite the fact that there are four parameters in formulas 5 and 7, Table 2 shows indicators only for Industry, Economy and Population. Habitat quality subsystem score (U4) is not mentioned anywhere.

The author’s answer: Thank you for the problems in the manuscript, we will supplement the content of habitat quality in Table 2 of the index system.

Table 2. Assessment indicator system of industry, economy, population in Kuye River Basin.

First grade indicator	Second grade indicator	Units	Properties	Weight
Industry	Value added of primary sector output	Million yuan	plus	0.0874
	Value added of secondary sector	Million yuan	plus	0.1091
	Value added of tertiary sector	Million yuan	plus	0.0938
	Number of enterprises above scales	Unit	plus	0.0589
	Regional GDP	Million yuan	plus	0.0906
	Industry’s output	Million yuan	plus	0.1277
	General financial expenditure	Million yuan	plus	0.0997
	General financial revenue	Million yuan	plus	0.0924
	Retail Sales of Consumer Goods	Million yuan	plus	0.1287
	Per Capita Disposable Income of Urban Residents	Yuan	plus	0.0583
Population	Population density	People/km²	minus	0.036
	Population at the end of the year	Ten thousand people	minus	0.0169
habitat quality			plus	0.0005

 

Links to sources do not work. Therefore, it is impossible to assess how well the sources are indicated.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your careful examination. I am sorry for our carelessness. Based on your comments, we checked the citations in the entire draft and corrected them.

 The discussion and conclusions are weak. It is difficult to imagine their theoretical and practical significance. The formulations are very general and well-known theses.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your careful examination. We will revisit the discussion and conclusion section.

 

Sometimes controversial theses. For example, how will the state reasonably control population growth and optimize population distribution? What does it mean to improve the quality of the population? The weak point of the study is the lack of vision of the authors about the causes of changes in the degree of communication between the three systems of “industry-economy-population". Related economic phenomena and processes are not fully disclosed. Mostly facts.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your suggestions. We have supplemented the relevant content, and will strive to improve their knowledge in this area.

 

我们对论文进行了全面而细致的修订，以提高其学术质量和可读性。在此，我们衷心感谢审稿人提出的宝贵意见和建议，他们对推动我们的研究发挥了极其重要的作用。同时，我们热切期待编辑和审稿人再次审阅修改后的论文，给我们进一步改进论文的机会。展望未来，我们将继续关注该领域的发展，并开展更深入、更深入的研究。我们希望在后续研究中，能够进一步拓展研究的深度和广度，为解决相关领域的实际问题提供更有价值的理论支持和切实可行的解决方案。

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Well done, good luck for the publication!

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

    

Thank you very much for reviewing my paper and giving valuable opinions. I am deeply honored and pleased by your feedback that you have not modified your opinion. This is a great affirmation of my work and gives me more confidence in the quality of the paper.

I will continue to maintain a rigorous attitude to ensure its accuracy and scientificity in the follow-up links of the paper. At the same time, I will also take seriously the views of other experts to further improve the paper, in order to achieve a higher level. Thank you again for your support and recognition.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I appreciate the efforts the authors have made to improve the paper. However, several of my initial concerns remain unaddressed:

A. The authors have not addressed my concerns at all for Points 2, 3, 4, and 10. Specifically, the responses to Points 3 and 10 are far from satisfactory.

B. The authors have only partially addressed Points 5 and 7.

C. It is unclear whether the authors have adequately addressed Point 6.

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

  

 Thank you very much for reviewing my paper again in a busy time. I seriously considered and revised your valuable comments and suggestions. The following is the author 's detailed revision of the review comments.The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure.

 

Reviewer.2#

I appreciate the efforts the authors have made to improve the paper. However, several of my initial concerns remain unaddressed:

10. The authors have not addressed my concerns at all for Points 2, 3, 4, and 10. Specifically, the responses to Points 3 and 10 are far from satisfactory.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments again, we carefully revised the content of the original 2, 3, 4, 10 points. The following is the modified part.

Point2：

With the acceleration of social and economic development and urbanization, the rise of industry, economic growth and population agglomeration have destroyed bio-diversity while promoting social progress, resulting in fragile regional ecosystems and the degradation of the ecological environment [1-3]. Habitat quality is reflected in a specific time and space, and the ability of ecosystems to continuously provide an ap-propriate environment for the survival and development of individuals and popula-tions is an important representation of regional biodiversity and ecological services [4]. Improving habitat quality can provide natural resources and ecological services for industries, promote green economic development, and provide a healthy living envi-ronment for the population [5]. The Yellow River Basin is an important national eco-logical security barrier, and its ecosystem plays an important role in social and eco-nomic development [6]. In the national key strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, the green, ecological, systematic and overall development path of the Yellow River Basin has been outlined [7]. The coarse sand area in the middle reaches of the Yellow River belongs to the national key soil erosion control area, which is an important area of economic construction and ecological construction in China [8]. Kuye River is the first tributary of the Yellow River, which is located on the right bank of the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River. It is one of the main sources of coarse sediment in the Yellow River. It flows through Ordos, Inner Mongolia and Yulin, Shaanxi Province. The geomorphological features are mainly hills and gullies. Its ecological environment quality affects the ecological security of the Yellow River Basin and the quality of life of the people in the flowing areas [9].

 

Point3：

In view of this, this study aims to deeply understand the coordination relationship among multiple factors in the Kuye River Basin, enrich the theory of related disciplines, and expand the research horizon. Suggestions are put forward to promote the coordinated development of economic development, population growth and ecological environment quality in the Kuye River Basin. It provides empirical support for the construction of a more perfect theoretical system, draws a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of the basin, and provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization. At the same time, it also has reference value for other resource-based regions, providing reference examples for their sustainable development, economic transformation, ecological improvement and population stability, and has a profound impact on promoting the construction of ecological civilization and improving human well-being. Future research should be based on these findings to further explore the role of scientific and technological innovation in promoting industrial green transformation, so as to reduce the negative effects of industrial development on the ecological environment. Conduct in-depth analysis of the dynamic impact of population structure changes on the economy and ecology, so as to formulate more accurate population policies. Strengthen the comparative analysis of the coupling model of industry, economy, population and ecological quality in different regions, and provide a solid basis for formulating development strategies according to local conditions.

 

Point4：

The Kuye River Basin is rich in coal resources. The coal industry is a pillar industry. There are many large-scale coal mines and processing enterprises with high output and excellent quality. They play an important role in the national coal market and rely on coal resources to develop power and coal chemical industries. Shenmu's GDP has grown rapidly since 2004 and reached 234.71 billion in 2023. Since 2000, Fugu has de-veloped rapidly relying on coal resources and reached 100.208 billion yuan in 2023. The economy of Dongsheng and Ejinhoro developed steadily at the beginning of 2000 and then accelerated with the overall rise of Ordos. The total economic volume continued to grow in 2023. The coal industry in Jungar has significant advantages. Kangbashi is an emerging city. The economy is gradually developing. After being slowed down by the impact of the epidemic in 2020, it was upgraded again. The population in the basin is mainly distributed in the valley area and around towns. The population density near Shenmu coal mine and the coal processing base increases. The population in Dongsheng gathers in commercial centers and industrial parks. The coal industry ag-glomeration area in Jungar attracts labor inflows.

Point10：

4.3 Strategies to promote the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and habitat quality

In order to realize the coordinated development of industry, economy, population composite system and ecological environment quality, a series of strategies need to be adopted. According to the characteristics of and differences between different regions in the basin, differentiated policy recommendations should be put forward. In the industrial town and coal chemical industry base, the environmental priority should be adhered to, the industrial structure and layout should be optimized [39]; the coordinated development of environment and economy should be adhered to in the key development areas; protection should be adhered to in the restricted development area. the People 's Procuratorate of Shenmu has deeply practiced the concept of restorative justice and promoted the ecological restoration of coal mines. The Yellow River flows through 98 kilometers of Shenmu. In order to promote the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin in the jurisdiction, Shenmu has implemented key river basin ecological restoration and management projects and planted trees on the bare hills on both sides of the Kuye River Basin to improve the ecological environment of the basin [40]. In areas with poor habitat quality, strict industrial access criteria should be formulated to restrict high-pollution, high-energy-consuming and low-value-added industries, and vigorously encourage the development of green, low-carbon and high-value-added industries. Promote the transformation of traditional industries to green, such as the promotion of energy-saving and emission reduction technologies in coal, chemical and other industries. Actively cultivate emerging industries such as energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy, and ecological agriculture, and strengthen the ecological construction of industrial parks to achieve resource sharing and centralized pollution control. In terms of economy, we will increase investment in environmental protection, promote the development of green finance, implement ecological compensation mechanisms, and promote sustainable consumption. In terms of population, we should control the population size according to the carrying capacity of resources and environment, guide the population to transfer moderately to areas with strong carrying capacity, improve the quality of the population, and cultivate environmental awareness. For example, Dongsheng and other regions should reasonably formulate population development plans to control the growth of population size.

 

7. The authors have only partially addressed Points 5 and 7.

The author’s answer: Thanks for your comments, we will add the reasons for using these methods in Section 2.3.

Point5：

The INVEST model is scientific and reliable. Having undergone extensive verification and application, it has accumulated rich experience and data support. Based on rigorous ecological principles and scientific methods, it can accurately reflect the actual situation of habitat quality. At the same time, the model is comprehensive and can integrate various ecological factors such as habitat types, land use, and threat factors. For the complex ecosystem of the Kuye River Basin, it can more comprehensively grasp the habitat quality and provide abundant information for in-depth research.

The entropy weight method is an objective weighting method. It determines the weight of indexes according to the data information and avoids human subjective bias. In the coupling study of industry, economy, population and ecological quality, the en-tropy weight method can objectively determine the weight of each factor according to the actual distribution of data and improve the reliability of research results.

The coupling coordination degree model can comprehensively consider the multi-system relationship among industry, economy, population and ecological quality. It has the advantages of being quantifiable, dynamic, goal-oriented and practical, and can provide powerful analysis tools and decision support for regional sustainable development.

Point7：

6. It is unclear whether the authors have adequately addressed Point 6.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your opinion, we added some content on the basis of the original.

Point6：

During 2000 - 2023, due to human factors such as coal resource development, agricultural activities, and urbanization, the area of low-habitat quality regions in the Kuye River Basin increased. Coal mining destroys surface vegetation and soil structure, causes land subsidence and destroys biological habitats. Its wastewater discharge pollutes water quality, changes the chemical properties of river water and affects the balance of aquatic ecosystems. Excessive reclamation reduces vegetation coverage and increases soil erosion. Urban expansion destroys vegetation and land, reduces urban ecological functions and habitat quality. Urban sewage discharge and garbage disposal pollute the surrounding ecological environment. Population growth brings huge resource demands, reduces river runoff and ultimately affects the ecological environment of the basin, resulting in poor habitat quality.

We have made a comprehensive and nuanced revision of the paper in order to improve its academic quality and readability. Here, we sincerely appreciate the valuable comments and suggestions made by the reviewers, which have played an extremely important role in promoting our research. At the same time, we eagerly expect editors and reviewers to review the revised papers again, giving us an opportunity to further improve the papers. Looking forward to the future, we will continue to pay attention to the developments in this field and carry out more in-depth and extensive research. We hope that in the follow-up research, we can further expand the depth and breadth of the research, and provide more valuable theoretical support and practical solutions for solving practical problems in related fields.

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors.

Make references to sources according to the requirements of the editorial board.

References must be numbered in order of appearance in the text (including table captions and figure legends) and listed individually at the end of the manuscript.

In the text, reference numbers should be placed in square brackets [ ], and placed before the punctuation; for example [1], [1–3] or [1,3]. For embedded citations in the text with pagination, use both parentheses and brackets to indicate the reference number and page numbers; for example [5] (p. 10). or [6] (pp. 101–105).

Some references to sources appear for the first time in the Discussion. This is wrong. You should have given a review of the literature on the topic, where you should give the opinions of various authors on the topic of the article. Then, in the discussion, you need to show the connection of your results with previous studies. What new have you discovered? Which results are consistent with the other studies you mentioned in the review.

 

In the introduction, add more links confirming the abstracts. In section 2.3, provide in more detail the notation of formulas (1)-(4).

 

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

   Thank you very much for reviewing my paper again in a busy time. I seriously considered and revised your valuable comments and suggestions. The following is the author 's detailed revision of the review comments. The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure.

 

Reviewer.3#

Dear authors.

Make references to sources according to the requirements of the editorial board.

References must be numbered in order of appearance in the text (including table captions and figure legends) and listed individually at the end of the manuscript.

In the text, reference numbers should be placed in square brackets [ ], and placed before the punctuation; for example [1], [1–3] or [1,3]. For embedded citations in the text with pagination, use both parentheses and brackets to indicate the reference number and page numbers; for example [5] (p. 10). or [6] (pp. 101–105).

The author’s answer: I am sorry for my carelessness again. We re-adjust the order and number of the references in the original manuscript and mark them red in the manuscript.

Some references to sources appear for the first time in the Discussion. This is wrong. You should have given a review of the literature on the topic, where you should give the opinions of various authors on the topic of the article. Then, in the discussion, you need to show the connection of your results with previous studies. What new have you discovered? Which results are consistent with the other studies you mentioned in the review.

The author’s answer: Thank you very much for your comments. According to your opinion, we have re-adjusted the content of the original manuscript.

4.1 Discussion on the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and habitat quality

This study mainly discusses the coordinated development level of habitat quality from the perspective of human factors such as industry, economy and population in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023. Over the past 23 years, human factors have profoundly affected the ecological environment of the basin. Industrial expansion and optimization, economic restructuring, population growth and distribution changes have become key indicators for assessing habitat quality. The coordination degree of the Kuye River Basin has changed from imbalance to coordination. The rationalization of the industrial structure of the basin has provided impetus for economic growth. Economic development has promoted optimization of the industrial structure and provided financial and technical support for the improvement of the ecological environment quality of the basin. The proportion of the tertiary industry has increased, while the proportion of some industries with high pollution and high energy consumption has declined. The direct impact of the tertiary industry on the environment is relatively small, which promotes the improvement of habitat quality. Population growth is often accompanied by increased economic activity. Domestic sewage and agricultural and industrial sewage are discharged into the basin without effective treatment, which will lead to problems such as river water quality decline and lake eutrophication [30]. When discussing the relationship between economic development and environmental protection, it is generally recognized that the balance between short-term development and long-term interests is crucial. Although in the short term, economic growth may lead to overexploitation of resources and environmental pollution, in the long run, reasonable economic development strategies can promote the improvement of the ecological environment and the improvement of ecological service functions [31].

4.2 New exploration on the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and habitat quality

Some articles have explored the impact of economic development on environmental sustainability in emerging economies [32]. By implementing sustainable development strategies, improving resource utilization efficiency, and promoting green technologies and clean energy, a win–win situation between economic benefits and environmental quality can be achieved. This study fully considers the unique impact of policy and institutional factors on the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation, which is different from most previous studies. Previous studies often ignore the important influence of policy environment, environmental regulations and industrial policies on economic growth and environmental quality in different countries and regions. This study deeply analyzes the key role of these factors in the coordinated development of industry, economy and ecological environment in the Kuye River Basin, and provides a new perspective for a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. This study is consistent with the previous research on regional development in spatial economics. Similarly, by constructing a comprehensive evaluation index system of high-quality economic development, fully considering various factors such as economy, society and environment, this study provides a more comprehensive index system and analysis method for research in this field, and further enriches and expands the previous research results in this area.

Population size and structure have a direct impact on sustained economic growth. Some studies have consistently explored the relationship between population size and growth and environmental integrity, human prosperity and well-being, and climate change, and have also emphasized the potential benefits of population decline for the environment and human health [33]. An appropriate population size helps to reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution, while creating more opportunities for employment and promoting socio-economic activities. Demographic changes, such as an aging population, require corresponding policy adjustments to ensure the stability of the labor market and economic vitality. In addition, the problems of living space demand, traffic pressure and energy consumption caused by the acceleration of urbanization need to be solved by optimizing urban planning and infrastructure construction, so as to reduce the pressure on the environment and promote the development of green cities [34]. Previous studies and this study have shown that densely populated areas usually face more serious environmental problems, such as traffic congestion, garbage disposal difficulties, air pollution and so on [35].

The investment in environmental protection is not only a necessary condition for economic development, but also a key factor in achieving high-quality development. By increasing investment in environmental protection, it can not only reduce pollution emissions and protect natural resources, but also promote the development and application of new technologies and promote the upgrading and transformation of industrial structure. This investment not only contributes to the steady growth of the current economy, but also lays a solid foundation for future sustainable development. Therefore, while pursuing economic growth, environmental protection must be incorporated into strategic planning to achieve a harmonious coexistence between the economy and the environment. This study combines the relevant theories and methods of economics and ecology to explore the design-driven regional industrial transformation and upgrading path under the background of sustainable transformation [36]. Different from previous studies, this study is not limited to the combination of relevant theories and methods of economics and ecology to explore the design-driven regional industrial transformation and upgrading path under the background of sustainable transformation [37]. But more in-depth from the actual situation of Kuye River Basin, considering the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and other human factors and ecological environment quality, through specific case analysis and policy recommendations, it provides a more targeted and practical new path for regional industrial transformation and upgrading [38].

4.3 Strategies to promote the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and habitat quality

In order to realize the coordinated development of industry, economy, population composite system and ecological environment quality, a series of strategies need to be adopted. According to the characteristics of and differences between different regions in the basin, differentiated policy recommendations should be put forward. In the industrial town and coal chemical industry base, the environmental priority should be adhered to, the industrial structure and layout should be optimized [39]; the coordinated development of environment and economy should be adhered to in the key development areas; protection should be adhered to in the restricted development area. the People 's Procuratorate of Shenmu has deeply practiced the concept of restorative justice and promoted the ecological restoration of coal mines. The Yellow River flows through 98 kilometers of Shenmu. In order to promote the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin in the jurisdiction, Shenmu has implemented key river basin ecological restoration and management projects and planted trees on the bare hills on both sides of the Kuye River Basin to improve the ecological environment of the basin [40]. In areas with poor habitat quality, strict industrial access criteria should be formulated to restrict high-pollution, high-energy-consuming and low-value-added industries, and vigorously encourage the development of green, low-carbon and high-value-added industries. Promote the transformation of traditional industries to green, such as the promotion of energy-saving and emission reduction technologies in coal, chemical and other industries. Actively cultivate emerging industries such as energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy, and ecological agriculture, and strengthen the ecological construction of industrial parks to achieve resource sharing and centralized pollution control. In terms of economy, we will increase investment in environmental protection, promote the development of green finance, implement ecological compensation mechanisms, and promote sustainable consumption. In terms of population, we should control the population size according to the carrying capacity of resources and environment, guide the population to transfer moderately to areas with strong carrying capacity, improve the quality of the population, and cultivate environmental awareness. For example, Dongsheng and other regions should reasonably formulate population development plans to control the growth of population size.

4.4 Limitations of the study and future prospects

In the process of exploring the interaction of complex systems, one of the challenges is how to accurately capture and quantify the dynamic relationships between different fields. In this study, although we spatially processed population data, we only considered several key factors due to limited data collection and analysis capabilities, which may lead to certain deviations in the description of population distribution. In order to make up for this deficiency, we tried to provide a macro perspective by constructing a spatial distribution map of basin GDP. Although we did not obtain specific data for 2023, these maps still reveal the distribution characteristics of economic activities in geographical space. The spatialization of socio-economic data is a multi-dimensional and multi-level process, which is of great significance for understanding regional development, resource allocation and policy formulation. However, the problems encountered in the process of practice cannot be ignored. The design of the index system is often too simplified to fully reflect the complex interaction between industry, economy, population and ecological environment system. In addition, our research on the internal mechanism of the interaction between the systems in the Kuye River Basin, such as how industrial activities affect the economic structure, population distribution, and then affect habitat quality and ecosystem services, is still at the surface level and lacks in-depth analysis. Future research should pay more attention to interdisciplinary integration, and adopt more sophisticated data collection methods and analysis techniques to more fully understand and predict the dynamic changes in these systems. At the same time, the development of models that can comprehensively consider various influencing factors will help to improve our understanding of complex system behavior and provide a scientific basis for relevant policy formulation and environmental management.

 

In the introduction, add more links confirming the abstracts.

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments,we will modify the content of the original according to your suggestions.

With the acceleration of social and economic development and urbanization, the rise of industry, economic growth and population agglomeration have destroyed biodiversity while promoting social progress, resulting in fragile regional ecosystems and the degradation of the ecological environment [1-3]. Habitat quality is reflected in a specific time and space, and the ability of ecosystems to continuously provide an appropriate environment for the survival and development of individuals and populations is an important representation of regional biodiversity and ecological services [4]. Improving habitat quality can provide natural resources and ecological services for industries, promote green economic development, and provide a healthy living environment for the population [5]. The Yellow River Basin is an important national ecological security barrier, and its ecosystem plays an important role in social and economic development [6]. In the national key strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, the green, ecological, systematic and overall development path of the Yellow River Basin has been outlined [7]. The coarse sand area in the middle reaches of the Yellow River belongs to the national key soil erosion control area, which is an important area of economic construction and ecological construction in China [8]. Kuye River is the first tributary of the Yellow River, which is located on the right bank of the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River. It is one of the main sources of coarse sediment in the Yellow River. It flows through Ordos, Inner Mongolia and Yulin, Shaanxi Province. The geomorphological features are mainly hills and gullies. Its ecological environment quality affects the ecological security of the Yellow River Basin and the quality of life of the people in the flowing areas [9].

In recent years, the development of economy and the progress of society have promoted the population to gather in the basin. Human disturbance activities such as mineral exploitation and urban construction are frequent, which have had a profound impact on the demand for resources, the development of industry and the carrying capacity of the ecological environment. The relationship between industrial structure, economic development, population change and ecological environment quality has become increasingly close and complex [10]. The relationship between industrial structure, economic development, population change and ecological environment quality has become increasingly interconnected and complex. The industry–economy–population–habitat-quality of the Kuye River Basin is composed of four systems. The industrial structure is an important link between human economic activities and the ecological environment. Different types of industrial structures have different effects on the ecological environment. People are the main body of social activities and economic development. From the perspective of social and economic development, population is an indispensable booster for regional economy. The degree of regional economy is one of the main factors affecting population aggregation. Therefore, it is of great significance to correctly coordinate the relationship between economy, industry, population and the ecological environment in the Kuye River Basin to ensure the basin’s sustainability.

The coupling coordination degree model can be used to examine the interaction between different systems and the level of coordinated development and then correctly guide the development of the region. In recent years, the coupling coordination degree model has been applied more to the coordinated development of regional economy and the environment, the relationship between industry, resources and the environment, urban and rural development and other fields [11]. Exploring the relevant literature, it can be found that the existing research on coupling coordination mostly focuses on the coupling coordination analysis of two ecological and economic systems—water–economy–ecosystem—or three systems—ecological, economic and industrial. Huang et al. evaluated the level of urbanization in Kazakhstan and analyzed the differences in urbanization in different regions. This may involve the construction and analysis of indicators in multiple dimensions such as population urbanization, economic urbanization (such as industrial structure, economic development level and other economic indicators related to urbanization), and spatial urbanization (urban spatial layout, land use, etc.), in order to fully reflect the urbanization situation in Kazakhstan [12]. Di and Hua used the coupling coordination degree model to reveal the spatio-temporal evolution process of mineral–economy–environment coupling in the Yangtze River Economic Belt [13]. Ren and Du analyzed the comprehensive levels of economic growth, industrial development and ecological environment systems of 62 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2012 to 2018, as well as the spatial and temporal differences and driving factors of the coupling coordination degree of the three systems [14]. Sultana applied the environmental Kuznets curve ( EKC ) and the random effects of population, affluence and technology ( STIRPAT ) structure, and used the panel data regression of Asian economies from 1990 to 2019 to explore the impact of economic growth on environmental degradation and the role of innovation in achieving sustainable development [15]. Based on the construction of a comprehensive evaluation index system for high-quality economic development, Li and Liu studied the spatial distribution characteristics of high-quality regional development, and used the economic geography nested spatial Dubin model to conduct an empirical test to explore the spatial effect of environmental regulation on high-quality economic development [16]. There are few systematic analyses of the coupling and coordination relationship among industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin.

In view of this, this study aims to deeply understand the coordination relationship among multiple factors in the Kuye River Basin, enrich the theory of related disciplines, and expand the research horizon. Suggestions are put forward to promote the coordinated development of economic development, population growth and ecological environment quality in the Kuye River Basin. It provides empirical support for the construction of a more perfect theoretical system, draws a more harmonious and sustainable blueprint for the future development of the basin, and provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment and the construction of ecological civilization. At the same time, it also has reference value for other resource-based regions, providing reference examples for their sustainable development, economic transformation, ecological improvement and population stability, and has a profound impact on promoting the construction of ecological civilization and improving human well-being. Future research should be based on these findings to further explore the role of scientific and technological innovation in promoting industrial green transformation, so as to reduce the negative effects of industrial development on the ecological environment. Conduct in-depth analysis of the dynamic impact of population structure changes on the economy and ecology, so as to formulate more accurate population policies. Strengthen the comparative analysis of the coupling model of industry, economy, population and ecological quality in different regions, and provide a solid basis for formulating development strategies according to local conditions.

 

In section 2.3, provide in more detail the notation of formulas (1)-(4).

The author’s answer: Thank you for your comments, we have added the relevant content in Section 2.3.

In the formula, R represents stress factors, y refers to the number of raster cells in the threat factor r raster layer, and  indicates the number of raster cells occupied by the threat factor. Normalization threat factors weight range is 0～1; rasterrepresents the level of threat of this raster; represents the distance between threat factorsraster and habitat raster; represents the level of protection of habitat;represents in land using typesunit the rasterhabitat degeneracy; represents habitat typesensitivity to threat factor .

Suppose there are evaluation objects andevaluation indicators. The original data matrix is.

For positive indicators (the larger the indicator value, the better):

                              (3)

For negative indicators (the smaller the indicator value, the better):

                              (4)

The standardized data matrix is  .

At the same time, in order to ensure the objectivity of the empowerment, the entropy method is used to ensure the weights of the indicators and the final score; when , the =0. The formula is as follows:

                                               (5)

                                          (6)

                                                      (7)

                                                    (8)

                                                         (9)

In the formula, is the weight using the entropy method.

We have revised the paper comprehensively and meticulously to improve its academic quality and readability. Here, we sincerely thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, which have played an extremely important role in promoting our research. At the same time, we eagerly look forward to the editors and reviewers reviewing the revised paper again and giving us the opportunity to further improve the paper. Looking forward to the future, we will continue to pay attention to the development of this field and conduct more in-depth and in-depth research. We hope that in subsequent research, we can further expand the depth and breadth of the research and provide more valuable theoretical support and practical solutions to solve practical problems in related fields.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 3

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I can see the authors put a lot efforts into improvement. However, the responses to points 3, 5, and 10 fall short of basic standards, let alone publication standards.

Especially, the response to point 3 is superficial and doesn't show any sense of generalisability.

For the response to point 5, you need to use evidence to support your points.

For the response to point 10, it is not policy implication at all.  

Author Response

Dear editor and reviewer :

   Thank you for your decision and constructive comments on my manuscript. We have carefully considered the suggestion of Reviewer and make some changes. We have tried our best to improve and made some changes in the manuscript. The revised content is marked red in the manuscript, your proposal is black, and blue is our revision measure. Revision notes, point-to-point, are given as follows:

 

Reviewer.2#

I can see the authors put a lot efforts into improvement. However, the responses to points 3, 5, and 10 fall short of basic standards, let alone publication standards.

Especially, the response to point 3 is superficial and doesn't show any sense of generalizability .

The author’s answer:Thank you very much for your comments. We will revise point 3 in the manuscript.

In general, the relationship between industrial structure, economic development, population change and habitat quality is a continuous and complex change process. At present, the research on this aspect is mainly based on relatively rough time series research, and it is difficult to capture the continuity characteristics of spatial and temporal changes. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out continuous long-term spatial and temporal scale evolution trend and mutual coupling and coordination relationship to promote regional sustainable development. In view of this, this study takes the Kuye River Basin as the research area, based on ArcGIS technology and long-term spatial and temporal series of industrial, economic and population data, quantitatively analyzes the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023, and reveals the internal relationship and interaction mechanism between industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the basin. This study mainly discusses the following issues : ( 1 ) The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics and evolution patterns of habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin from 2000 to 2023 ; ( 2 ) The spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of industrial structure, economic development and population change in the basin ; ( 3 ) The temporal and spatial transmission characteristics and synergistic response relationship of the coupling coordination degree of industry, economy, population and habitat quality in the basin. The purpose of this study is to deeply understand the coordination relationship between multiple factors in the Kuye River Basin, and to provide a scientific basis for promoting the coordinated development of industrial upgrading, economic development and ecological environment quality in the Kuye River Basin. At the same time, it also has reference value for other coal resource-based regions, providing reference for their sustainable development, economic transformation, ecological improvement and population stability, and has a profound impact on promoting the construction of ecological civilization and improving human well-being. Future research should be based on these findings to further explore the role of scientific and technological innovation in promoting industrial green transformation, so as to reduce the negative effects of industrial development on the ecological environment. In-depth analysis of the dynamic impact of population structure changes on economy and ecology, so as to formulate more accurate population policies ; strengthen the comparative analysis of the coupling model of industry, economy, population and ecological quality in different regions, and provide practical significance for formulating development strategies according to local conditions.

 

For the response to point 5, you need to use evidence to support your points.

The author’s answer:Thank you very much for your comments. We have added relevant references to the original manuscript to explain why we chose to use the habitat quality module, entropy weight method, and coupling coordination degree model in the InVEST model.

The INVEST model is scientific and reliable. Having undergone extensive verification and application, it has accumulated rich experience and data support [17]. Based on rigorous ecological principles and scientific methods, it can accurately reflect the actual situation of habitat quality. At the same time, the model is comprehensive and can integrate various ecological factors such as habitat types, land use, and threat factors [18]. For the complex ecosystem of the Kuye River Basin, it can more comprehensively grasp the habitat quality and provide abundant information for in-depth research.

 

[17]. Wu, L.; Sun, C.; Fan, F. Estimating the Characteristic Spatiotemporal Variation in Habitat Quality Using the InVEST Model—A Case Study from Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. Remote Sens. 2021, 13, 1008.

[18]. Hack, J.; Molewijk, D.; Beißler, M.R. A Conceptual Approach to Modeling the Geospatial Impact of Typical Urban Threats on the Habitat Quality of River Corridors. Remote Sens. 2020, 12, 1345.

 

The entropy weight method is an objective weighting method. It determines the weight of indexes according to the data information and avoids human subjective bias [22] . In the coupling study of industry, economy, population and ecological quality, the entropy weight method can objectively determine the weight of each factor according to the actual distribution of data and improve the reliability of research results.

 

[22]. Lu, H.; Zhao, Y.; Zhou, X.; Wei, Z. Selection of Agricultural Machinery Based on Improved CRITIC-Entropy Weight and GRA-TOPSIS Method. Processes. 2022, 10, 266. 

 

According to relevant research [23-24], the coupling coordination degree model can comprehensively take into account the relationships among multiple systems such as industry, economy, population and ecological quality. It has the advantages of being quantifiable, dynamic, goal-oriented and practical, and can provide analysis tools and decision support for regional sustainable development. This model is used to analyze the coordinated development level of elements with two assessment scopes: coupling degree and coupling coordination degree [24]. The coupling degree reflects the interaction among multiple systems, while coordinated development reflects the dynamic correlation of the interaction and mutual constraints among the systems.

 

[23]. Zhang, F.; Sarker, M.N.I.; Lv, Y. Coupling Coordination of the Regional Economy, Tourism Industry, and the Ecological Environment: Evidence from Western China. Sustainability. 2022, 14, 1654.

[24]. Zhang, L.; Jiang, X.; Li, Y.; Xu, F.; Huang, X. Analysis of coupling coordination structural characteristics of water-energy-food-ecosystems based on SNA model: A case study in the nine provinces along the Yellow River, China. Phys Chem Earth. 2024, 135103654.

 

 

 

For the response to point 10, it is not policy implication at all.  

The author’s answer:Thank you for your comments, we will revise the original content. The following is our modified part.

4.3 Strategies to promote the coordinated development of industry, economy, population and habitat quality

The habitat quality in some areas of the Kuye River Basin has been significantly improved, but the habitat quality has deteriorated in the central and northeastern parts of the basin, mainly due to the serious damage to the ecological environment caused by the exploitation of coal resources. Bei niu chuan, an important tributary of Kuye River, is located in the northeast, which is one of the key mining areas of coal resources. There are some large coal mines around it, which provide important resource support for the development of local coal industry. The geological conditions in the central part of the basin are conducive to coal mining, and the buried depth of resources is moderate and difficult. Establish an innovative demonstration system of 'one database and two standards ', and use the ' city 's industrial solid waste characteristic attribute database ' to provide basic data that can be investigated, referenced and analyzed for solid waste resource utilization enterprises. The two standards of environmental technical specifications for coal gangue and fly ash watershed management and pollution control technical specifications for industrial solid waste utilization and disposal are formulated. At the same time, a set of technical standard system for solid waste utilization based on local standards and supported by enterprise, industry and group standards is established. Through a series of comprehensive utilization projects of solid waste, such as ecological management of river basin and ecological restoration of subsidence area, the secondary utilization of industrial resources is effectively improved, and the overall level of regional ecological environment is reconstructed. Gradually improve the mineral resources development, ecological environment management, resources and environment carrying capacity monitoring and early warning, ecological compensation and other systems.

During the study period, the degree of coupling and coordination between ' industry-economy-population ' and habitat quality in all regions of the Kuye River Basin showed a good trend.In recent years, the implementation of ‘ three lines and one list ‘ ecological environment zoning control in the study area is to limit economic activities and human behaviors to the limits that natural resources and ecological environment can carry, and to promote the construction of an ecological economic system with industrial ecology and ecological industrialization as the main body with a strict ecological environment access list, so as to realize the coordinated development and protection. At the same time, the development model of circular economy is used to transform traditional industries, build a green energy industry system integrating resource development, local transformation and comprehensive utilization, actively explore the development model of modern energy economy, and open up a new way to realize the coordinated and sustainable development of economy, society and ecological environment in the ecologically fragile areas of western China.

 

In order to improve the academic quality and readability of the paper, we once again made a comprehensive and detailed revision of the paper. Here, we sincerely thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, which have played an extremely important role in promoting our research. At the same time, we are eager for editors and reviewers to review the revised papers again, giving us the opportunity to further improve the papers. Looking forward to the future, we will continue to pay attention to the developments in this field and carry out more in-depth and extensive research.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 4

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The responses to points 3 and 10 remain far below my expectations. I doubt the authors possess the capacity to adequately discuss the generalisability or policy implications.

However, these two points do not significantly affect the overall conveyance of information in this paper. I defer to the editors on whether to accept the current version or require another revision regarding these two points. 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

There are some inappropriate English use spotted in the paper, which requires an editing of the whole paper. 

Author Response

Revision Report

We sincerely thank the peer reviewers for taking the time to review and evaluate our manuscripts in detail and in depth. Your professional insights, rigorous attitude and persistent pursuit of academic quality provide extremely important guidance and help for our research improvement and promotion. We express our deep gratitude and respect for this.

 

Summary of the revision：

 

Section 1 (Introduction): We re-sort the introduction to make the logic clearer.

 

Section 2 (Discussion-Suggestions and policies): In this part of the policy, we are divided into three aspects to write.

 

Note: The red font is the text content of the manuscript.

Reviewer #2: 

1.Comment: At the end of the introduction, need to discuss whether the implications of this study can be generalised to other contexts or locations.

Reply: Thank you for your professional advice. In the introduction, we re-comb writing, which is divided into four sections (four parts). The writing ideas are as follows:

The first paragraph (Line 29-41): We introduce the current background (social development, economic growth impact on habitat quality), which leads to the purpose of this writing, how to achieve both the green development of social economy and the high-level protection of ecological environment. And promote the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, has become a crucial issue in ecological protection and restoration.

The second section (Line 42-68): We first put forward the important position of the Yellow River Basin in China, in which the Kuye River Basin is a typical soil erosion area in the Yellow River Basin. After that, we introduced that the Kuye River Basin is rich in coal resources and has a rapid economic development. The complex human-land relationship has attracted the attention of many scholars.

The third section (Line 70-91): We found that previous studies only explored the relationship between social development and ecological environment from a single dimension, such as population growth affecting habitat quality and coal mining affecting water quality (References 10, 11). This study aims to explore the impact of industry-economy-population on habitat quality. This is also the starting point of this study. After that, the applicability of the coupling coordination model to such research is introduced, and the references are listed.

The fourth section (Line 92-107) : We summarize the above content and introduce the main content of this study: Based on the above realistic background, this study uses the coupling coordination degree model to deeply explore the complex relationship between industry, economy, population and ecological environment in the Kuye River Basin, analyzes the specific contradictions and root causes of the problems, and tries to seek a scientific and reasonable coordinated development path. Finally, we propose that the study is expected to provide a reference for similar areas (economic development and habitat quality contradictions).

 

2.Comment: Policy implications need to be re-written. "In addition, it is necessary to strengthen policy guidance and institutional construction, establish a sound coordination mechanism for ecological environmental protection and 508 economic development, and promote the benign interaction of industry, economy, population and ecological environment quality." is not a policy implication. You need to clearly explain how your findings influence governance, policies, or political decisions.

Reply: Thank you for your valuable comments. In this study, we rewrite 4.3 Suggestions and policies.

We first summarized the results of this study, that is, During the study period, the habitat quality and economic industry development level of each county in the Kuye River Basin showed obvious spatial differentiation characteristics. Although the coupling coordination degree of industry-economy-population and habitat quality in the basin developed well, the relationship between them still did not reach a perfect coordination state, and the realization degree of harmonious coexistence between man and nature did not reach the ideal level.

We discussed the development suggestions of Kuye River Basin from three aspects.

First, In view of the current situation and characteristics of ecosystem services in the Kuye River Basin, it is necessary to adopt a partition classification policy according to local conditions to promote the improvement of ecosystem services. We make recommendations on the differences between the south and the north. And we found that the habitat quality of coal mine concentration areas and urban areas is generally low, we put forward suggestions for these two types of land use.

Second, During the study period, the industry-economy-population of the Kuye River Basin showed a significant upward trend. We propose that the integration of industry-economy-population policy needs to vigorously promote green development.

Three, In view of the overall upward trend in the coupling degree between industry-economy-population and habitat quality in the Kuye River Basin. We put forward the need to promote the deep integration of industry-economy-population and habitat quality on the premise of ecological protection, and put forward three suggestions.

 

Thank you again for your professional guidance and valuable advice!