Edge Effects in Amazon Forests: Integrating Remote Sensing and Modelling to Assess Changes in Biomass and Productivity

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This manuscript analyzed the edge effects on aboveground biomass (AGB) and net primary productivity (NPP) in Amazon forests. One of the key conclusions is that AGB in forest edge areas is lower than in forest core areas, while NPP is on the contrary. My main concern is that the conclusion is based on the AGB/NPP that was generated from a single model. The conclusion may be biased if the AGB/NPP were biased. Although the authors have indicated that the workflow has been tested in previous studies (lines 277-380), it doesn’t mean the modeled AGB/NPP from this workflow was more accurate than other AGB/NPP products. I suggest the authors also do a similar analysis based on other AGB/NPP products and provide a more solid conclusion.

Second, the authors used three plant functional types to represent tree species in the FORMIND model. Where does the plant functional type information come from? For a specific species, how did you know the number of individual trees in a GEDI shoot?

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The study is very interesting and important for the sustainability of the forest.

The manuscript exhibits meticulous organization, encompassing elements such as introduction, contextualization of the study area, methodology, presentation of results, discussion, and conclusion.The tables and figures are explicit

The authors used figures to help the readers.

 The analysis of results is very well-organized.

There are some old bibliographic references. The authors should replace them with more current references."

Attached is the manuscript with some comments/suggestions

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

In the article titled "Edge Effects in Amazon Forests: Integrating Remote Sensing and Modelling to Assess Changes in Biomass and Productivity," the authors present an in-depth and multifaceted exploration into the impact of edge effects on the Amazon forests. This work offers a significant contribution to understanding the intricate dynamics of the Amazon ecosystem by seamlessly integrating advanced methodologies such as forest modeling with lidar and radar-derived data. The analysis highlights substantial differences in aboveground biomass and net primary productivity between edge and core forest areas. Furthermore, the revelation that nearly 30% of the forest landscapes studied are highly fragmented underscores the long-term implications for the Amazon ecosystem. The article not only underscores the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to tropical forest research but also provides critical insights that could influence conservation and management strategies for this invaluable ecosystem. Given these elements, I wish to express my commendation for the high-quality research presented in this article.

Some specific comments (lines):

122 - despite the literature reference, please briefly describe the algorithm used.

182 - there is a good chance that the article and the developed maps, due to the very important topic, will be printed often. The color used in the legend (red and green) are in the same shades of gray. The map printed in grayscale is unreadable. I suggest using a monochromatic color scale or such a two-color scale that will be clearly distinguishable when printed in grayscale.

253 - in this drawing, the use of a stepped, three-color scale works well. Perhaps in the previously mentioned drawing, it would also need to be classified.

303 - please explain where the "vertical" artifacts in the graph at values of 0, 50 and 100 on the horizontal axis come from. Particularly interesting is the artifact (clear vertical line) in the value of 100

440, 444 - the same note as for Figure 1

In addition, I suggest that you include in your paper an image on an aerial or satellite image and a radar image of typical examples of areas: edge criterion, forest fragmentation criterion, biomass size and others.

Please tell whether the delineated edge areas were validated with field measurements.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

My concerns have been well revised.