Soil Organic Matter Fractions in Relation to Root Characteristics of Different Tree Species in Altitude Gradient of Temperate Forest in Carpathian Mountains
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
· Valuable data are presented in the “Table 1. Chemical properties of study soils under influence of different species in altitude gradient”, but it is difficult to follow result: the statistical indicators are given below the values… Table 2 is an example of how data should be presented.
· Please, describe in more detaile fractionation of SOM, performed according to the method described by Sohi et al.
· Altitude values (in m?) in tables are not provided.
· “a.s.l.” please, write without shortening throughout all the text or shortening should be clarified, when you use the first time (line 88) …
· Table 2. Production [g]. It is not clear what these low weights mean, it must be explained in an understandable way what those g mean.
References list: line 339, Błońska et. all… Applied Soil Ecology. 2021, 157:103723- why is in bold?
Author Response
Thank you very much for all the comments to improve the manuscript. Please accept the submission of a revised version of our manuscript. We would like to thank the Reviewers for their diligence and detailed revisions, as well as their insightful and constructive comments. Please find our responses below, showing the changes we have made.
Valuable data are presented in the “Table 1. Chemical properties of study soils under influence of different species in altitude gradient”, but it is difficult to follow result: the statistical indicators are given below the values… Table 2 is an example of how data should be presented.
RESPONSE: Table 1 has been corrected in line with the reviewer's comments.
Please, describe in more detaile fractionation of SOM, performed according to the method described by Sohi et al.
RESPONSE: A detailed description of the method has been added.
Altitude values (in m?) in tables are not provided.
RESPONSE: This has been completed.
“a.s.l.” please, write without shortening throughout all the text or shortening should be clarified, when you use the first time (line 88) …
RESPONSE: This has been completed.
Table 2. Production [g]. It is not clear what these low weights mean, it must be explained in an understandable way what those g mean.
RESPONSE: The missing information was added to the methodology
References list: line 339, Błońska et. all… Applied Soil Ecology. 2021, 157:103723- why is in bold?
RESPONSE: It was changed
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The MS deals with a classic and interesting topic, which is the fractional composition of the soil organic matter in soils under various tree species on an altitude gradient. Although the topic is interesting, there are some small mistakes.
Specific comments
Abstract:
This paragraph lacks a research background and innovative point at the beginning.
1. Introduction:
Altitude also affects geochemistry, which in turn affects organic carbon turnover. Altitude also affects geochemical properties and, in turn, organic carbon turnover. For example this article “Climate and geochemistry interactions at different altitudes influence soil organic carbon turnover times in alpine grasslands”
Line 36-37 check the sentence
2. Materials and methods
If possible, add a sample area map
Line 107 H2O
122-123 Add and supplement detailed experimental procedures. “Effects of recovery models on organic carbon pathways: A method using 13C natural abundance”
3. Results
148 “]”
158、159 (cmol(+)·kg−1); Y - hydrolytic acidity (cmol(+)·kg−1); upper index does not exist in table, please check.
209-211 fraction (g.kg-1), CoLF – carbon of occluded light fraction (g.kg-1), CMAF; Check the format of the unit of measure.
The numbers on the ordinate are confusing in Figure 2
4. discussion
The discussion generally needs improvement.
Author Response
Thank you very much for all the comments to improve the manuscript. Please accept the submission of a revised version of our manuscript. We would like to thank the Reviewers for their diligence and detailed revisions, as well as their insightful and constructive comments. Please find our responses below, showing the changes we have made.
The MS deals with a classic and interesting topic, which is the fractional composition of the soil organic matter in soils under various tree species on an altitude gradient. Although the topic is interesting, there are some small mistakes.
We appreciated the time and comments provided by you. These comments are all valuable and helpful for improving our article.
Abstract:
This paragraph lacks a research background and innovative point at the beginning.
RESPONSE: Missing information added.
Altitude also affects geochemical properties and, in turn, organic carbon turnover. For example this article “Climate and geochemistry interactions at different altitudes influence soil organic carbon turnover times in alpine grasslands”
RESPONSE: Additional references have been added
Line 36-37 check the sentence
RESPONSE: It was changed
- Materials and methods
If possible, add a sample area map
RESPONSE: Instead of a map, we decided to include geographic coordinates in the methodology.
Line 107 H2O
RESPONSE: It was changed
122-123 Add and supplement detailed experimental procedures. “Effects of recovery models on organic carbon pathways: A method using 13C natural abundance”
RESPONSE: In the methodological chapter, we described in detail the procedures used in our experiment.
- Results
148 “]”
RESPONSE: It was removed
158、159 (cmol(+)·kg−1); Y - hydrolytic acidity (cmol(+)·kg−1); upper index does not exist in table, please check.
RESPONSE: It was changed
209-211 fraction (g.kg-1), CoLF – carbon of occluded light fraction (g.kg-1), CMAF; Check the format of the unit of measure.
RESPONSE: It was changed
The numbers on the ordinate are confusing in Figure 2
RESPONSE: We decided to keep the figures in their current version
- discussion
The discussion generally needs improvement.
RESPONSE: The discussion was completed and expanded. We have added a few sentences.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
