Review Reports

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript Sensory Organ Morphology in the Anthropocene attempts to explain the changes in the structure of animal sense organs caused by antropopression. It's quite a well-written paper, but the manuscript isn't an original research paper (article); it's a theoretical paper based on earlier analysis. The author did not conduct any experiment; only described and compiled the results obtained by other researchers. In my opinion, that work doesn't provide a substantial amount of new information, and it's a more popular science work than a scientific one. I recommend publishing this manuscript in Wild but as a theoretical paper.

I have a few comments for the author:
- in the abstract, the author wrote: "This is especially important in the context of growing recognition of the importance of sensory ecology in the design of effective threatened species conservation programs and invasive species management strategies." I couldn't find the answer to this thesis in the manuscript. 
- Figure 1 shows the relationship between signalling, signal reception, and behavioural response, but it's not suitable for a scientific paper, especially since the orthopteran insects are incorrect morphologically. The paper's title suggests a topic connected with morphology, more precisely, the scientific aspect of the morphology of the sensory organs. The figure, for me, is not correct.
- Comparing and discussing the sensory organs of vertebrates and invertebrates together due to their distinctly different morphological structure is not legitimate.
- Insects' sensory organs on antennae- rhinaria are well analysed; I suggest using this research to conclude.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the impact of anthropogenic pollution on sensory organ morphology in wild and captive populations, focusing on light, noise, and chemical pollution. The author highlights the importance of sensory ecology in conservation efforts and identifies key knowledge gaps in the field. Below are a few questions for the authors to consider:

 

1. The title, "Sensory Organ Morphology in the Anthropocene", is clear and relevant, but it could be more specific. Consider adding a focus on the impacts of anthropogenic pollution (e.g., "Impacts of Anthropogenic Pollution on Sensory Organ Morphology in the Anthropocene").

 

2. The article discusses morphological changes in sensory organs but does not explore their functional implications in detail. Could you elaborate on how these changes might affect animal behavior, survival, or reproductive success?

 

3. For 4.5. Multimodality: Authors briefly touches on the potential for multimodal communication and how pollution in one sensory modality might affect others. Could the authors expand on this idea? For instance, how might light pollution not only affect vision but also indirectly impact other senses like hearing or olfaction? Are there examples where animals compensate for the loss of one sensory modality by relying more heavily on another?

 

4. 4.Future Directions

(1) The article mentions that changes in the morphology of sensory organs may be due to natural selection or phenotypic plasticity, but does not discuss in detail the long-term evolutionary consequences of these changes. For example, does the degradation of sensory organs cause a species to become less adaptable in the wild? It is suggested that a discussion of the long-term evolutionary effects, particularly the cumulative effects of intergenerational exposure on the morphology and function of sensory organs, be added to the "Future Directions" section.

 

(2) The article mentions the importance of multimodal sensory interactions, but does not discuss in depth how different types of pollution, such as light pollution and noise pollution, work together to affect the form and function of sensory organs. For example, light pollution and noise pollution often coexist in urban environments, and they may have synergistic or antagonistic effects on the sensory systems of animals. It is suggested to add research suggestions on multimodal sensory interaction in the section of "Future Directions" to explore the joint effects of different pollution types.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf