Influence of Vegetation Cover and Soil Properties on Water Infiltration: A Study in High-Andean Ecosystems of Peru

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

please see the attachment.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Ricardo Flores

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper examined the influence of traditional land management systems in the northern high-Andes of Peru on infiltration processes. The article made a very good impression. However, there are some comments to the article.

1) The article poorly covers the issue of the influence of vegetation cover on water infiltration. It is necessary to supplement the article with information on the characteristics of the vegetation cover and their differences within the key sites or adjust the title of the article.

2) The article does not present data on the variation of field capacity and permanent wilting point within the studied soils, which would significantly increase the scientific significance of the article.

3) The Methods section does not describe that other chemical indicators of the soil (Ca, Mg, Na, K) were also determined, which are subsequently used in the correlation analysis (Figure 5). It is necessary to supplement the paper with a description of the determination method of Ca, Mg, Na, K.

4) For a complete picture of the soil properties, it is also necessary to supplement section 3.1 with a description of variations in the content of Ca, Mg, Na, K in the studied soils.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Ricardo Flores

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The issue of the influence of vegetation and the physical and chemical properties of the soil arouses great interest in the specialized literature, especially when it comes to a region with special problems as the authors specify in the present study (in the high-altitude ecosystem of Peru). The work is very well structured and supported by the analysis carried out with multiple strengths that can bring important bibliographical references subsequent to publication. We appreciate the way the work is structured, which although classical is supported by a clear and scientific argumentation that does not leave much room for interpretations. Here we have in mind the introductory part in which the authors make references to the current level of knowledge and to the elements that highlight the novelty of the research carried out. The methodological part is also well argued and scientifically supported. The results correctly describe the approach to the methodology used, and the discussion part, which is quite extensive, concludes as is normal with the exposition of scientific limitations. We fully appreciate the way the authors structure and present a clear and scientific exposition of a current issue and suggest only the following minor aspects that can be taken into account in increasing the scientific level of the work:

1. the introductory part could include a few more works that address this issue, especially those published in the Andean and Alpine (European) areas
2. the additional material could be included very well within the text, as it is only a figure
3. the conclusions part should include more practical aspects resulting from the study carried out.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Ricardo Flores

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The presented manuscript is thoroughly written. The figures are clear, and the tables are properly labeled. The mathematical components are correct. The study was conducted under diverse soil conditions. It compares soils across three land use types: agriculture, forest, and pasture. This allows for the evaluation of the impact of different land-use practices on soil properties and infiltration. This approach enables the identification of degradation caused by anthropogenic activities against the backdrop of more natural conditions (forest).

To assess soil functioning and hydrological status, a variety of methods were employed: physicochemical soil analysis (pH, EC, SOM, TC), hydraulic tests (infiltration, WDPT), mathematical models (Kostiakov, Philip, Horton), and statistical and correlation analysis. The use of various models (empirical and physical) allowed for comparison of their fit to different land covers. The inclusion of soil water repellency (WDPT) is a valuable component of the study, particularly for forest soils. It highlighted the potential risk of erosion following prolonged dry periods. The use of Spearman correlation emphasizes the reliability of the study.

A limitation of the study is the small number of samples and lack of seasonal repetitions, which restricts the representativeness of the results and their generalizability to other regions of the high Andes. The causes of increased hydrophobicity in forest and pasture soils are difficult to explain without analyzing the composition of organic matter. There is also a lack of analysis of soil structure (e.g., macropores, aggregates), which limits the ability to clearly link carbon and root systems to infiltration properties. The infiltration models do not account for vertical variability within the soil profile (e.g., impermeable layers). Additionally, the study does not consider land use history, agricultural intensity, or fertilizer application.

If high carbon content increases hydrophobicity, then why are soils with low carbon levels the most wettable?

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Ricardo Flores

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf