Biogeochemical State of Salinized Irrigated Soils of Central Fergana (Uzbekistan, Central Asia)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The article, Biogeochemical state of salinized irrigated soils of Central Fergana (Uzbekistan, Central Asia) is well executed and written. The article will help the scientist identify and open the door for more studies in the Fergana region. I have a few comments related to the article:

1) In the abstract try to add some numerical data from the article, and also write the takeaway message for the readers.

2) Introduction is well written, but try to add some information about salinization and its effect on agriculture, use the latest references: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2019.153071 ; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10367-6 

3) Try to elaborate on the objective of the study at the end of the introduction.

4) Material and method are well written but the statistical analysis should be more elaborated in a separate heading.

Some minor grammatical errors must be addressed

Author Response

Dear reviewer No 1!

Thank you very much for your comments and suggestions,

All of them has been taken into account and changes are tracked in yellow color in updated version of the manuscript.

1) In the abstract try to add some numerical data from the article, and also write the takeaway message for the readers.-done, as suggested.

2) Introduction is well written, but try to add some information about salinization and its effect on agriculture, use the latest references: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2019.153071 ; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10367-6  - thank you for this recommendation.

3) Try to elaborate on the objective of the study at the end of the introduction. – done, as suggested

4) Material and method are well written but the statistical analysis should be more elaborated in a separate heading. – done, as suggested.

Sincerely Yours,

Evgeny Abakumov, corresponding author.

Reviewer 2 Report

Biogeochemical state of salinized irrigated soils of Central Fergana (Uzbekistan, Central Asia)

In this work, the authors aimed to study the complex of soil transformation processes and their salt state under the influence of irrigational practices in Fergana valley. The study is properly designed, the methodology is adequate, the results are relevant and interesting but are not presented in a clear and concise manner. Some minor corrections are needed.

Line 89 – Please, replace the "(5) Determine” with ,,(5) to determine"

Line 242 – Please, complete the "This rare does …” with ,,This rare element does …"  

Line 254 – Please, replace the "hi content” with ,,high content"

Lines 307-309 – these lines must be removed.

It is recommended to include tables and figures in the text immediately after their first citation (not before), if they fully fit in the page. Thus, I propose for Figure 2 - line 137, Table 1 - line 162, Table 2 - line 197, etc.

It is advisable to first present your own results in a clearer and more concise manner, after which to compare them with data from the literature.

The quality of all Figures should be improved (high resolution is needed).

Check the format of the references according to the journal’s recommendations. Some references use capital letter of each word (in title of the papers), whereas others are using small letters. Check the Name of journal (abbreviated or complete name) - some references have abbreviation of journal names whereas others have complete name of journal. Some abbreviation of journal’s name is ending with dot whereas others are ending without dot. Some journal names are italicized whereas some are not.

In the MDPI journal’s recommendations, abbreviated Journal Name is recommended to write. Name abbreviated of journals: Agriculture and human values = Agric. Human Values, Eurasian Soil Science = Eurasian Soil Sci., Environmental and Experimental Botany = Environ. Exp. Bot., Environmental Science and Pollution Research = Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int., Earth-Science Reviews = Earth Sci. Rev.

Some bibliographic citations were not found, while for others incomplete information is presented. I recommend carefully checking the bibliography.

42. Ladonin, D.V. Comparative assessment evaluation of adsorption of rare-earth elements in some soil types. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2019, 52(10), 1175–1182. doi:10.1134/s1064229319100065 

44. Sosorova, S.B. Cobalt in soils and plants of the Selenga River Delta. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2009, 42(7), 750–756. doi:10.1134/s1064229309070059 

48. Vodyanitskii, Yu. N. The role of iron compounds in the fixation of heavy metals and metalloids in soils: a review of publications. Eurasian Soil Science 2010, 5, 519-532. doi:10.1134/s1064229310050054 

50. Shtangeeva, I. Accumulation of scandium, cerium, europium, hafnium, and tantalum in oats and barley grown in soils that 451 differ in their characteristics and level of contamination. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2022, 29(27), 40839-40853 1-15. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-18247-y

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear reviewer No 2!

Thank you very much for your comments and suggestions,

All of them has been taken into account and changes are tracked in yellow color in updated version of the manuscript.

Biogeochemical state of salinized irrigated soils of Central Fergana (Uzbekistan, Central Asia)

In this work, the authors aimed to study the complex of soil transformation processes and their salt state under the influence of irrigational practices in Fergana valley. The study is properly designed, the methodology is adequate, the results are relevant and interesting but are not presented in a clear and concise manner. Some minor corrections are needed.

Line 89 – Please, replace the "(5) Determine” with ,,(5) to determine" - done

Line 242 – Please, complete the "This rare does …” with ,,This rare element does …" - done 

Line 254 – Please, replace the "hi content” with ,,high content" - done

Lines 307-309 – these lines must be removed. - done

It is recommended to include tables and figures in the text immediately after their first citation (not before), if they fully fit in the page. Thus, I propose for Figure 2 - line 137, Table 1 - line 162, Table 2 - line 197, etc.

It is advisable to first present your own results in a clearer and more concise manner, after which to compare them with data from the literature.-done.

The quality of all Figures should be improved (high resolution is needed). -done

Check the format of the references according to the journal’s recommendations. Some references use capital letter of each word (in title of the papers), whereas others are using small letters. Check the Name of journal (abbreviated or complete name) - some references have abbreviation of journal names whereas others have complete name of journal. Some abbreviation of journal’s name is ending with dot whereas others are ending without dot. Some journal names are italicized whereas some are not.

In the MDPI journal’s recommendations, abbreviated Journal Name is recommended to write. Name abbreviated of journals: Agriculture and human values = Agric. Human Values, Eurasian Soil Science = Eurasian Soil Sci., Environmental and Experimental Botany = Environ. Exp. Bot., Environmental Science and Pollution Research = Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int., Earth-Science Reviews = Earth Sci. Rev.

Thank You, done, corrected.

Some bibliographic citations were not found, while for others incomplete information is presented. I recommend carefully checking the bibliography.

42. Ladonin,D.V. Comparative assessmentevaluation of adsorption of rare-earth elements in some soil types. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2019, 52(10), 1175–1182. doi:10.1134/s1064229319100065 
43. Sosorova,S.B. Cobalt in soils and plants of the Selenga River Delta. Eurasian Soil Sci.2009, 42(7), 750–756. doi:10.1134/s1064229309070059 
44. Vodyanitskii, Yu. N. The role of iron compounds in the fixation of heavy metals and metalloids in soils: a review of publications. Eurasian Soil Science 2010, 5, 519-532. doi:10.1134/s1064229310050054

50. Shtangeeva, I. Accumulation of scandium, cerium, europium, hafnium, and tantalum in oats and barley grown in soils that 451 differ in their characteristics and level of contamination. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int.2022, 29(27), 40839-408531-15. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-18247-y

Thank You, done, corrected.

Sincerely Yours,

Evgeny Abakumov, corresponding author.