Influence of Anatomical Spatial Architecture of Pinus devoniana on Pressure Gradients Inferred from Coupling Three-Dimensional CT Imaging and Numerical Flow Simulations

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

It is an interesting and well prepared manuscript expanding the knowledge about the anatomy of wood and the factors determining water flow in the xylem. The advantage of the article is the effective use of modern research techniques. Before publishing the manuscript, few corrections/additions should be made in my opinion. I present my comments in a synthetic form.

Substantive comments/editing corrections:

The tested species has many synonyms of Latin names, so its full name Pinus devoniana Lindl. should be given at least once (in the Research Material chapter) and it is also indicated in the Abstract.

Lines 177 and 19 Line 40
Is: Pinus devoniana (Pinus michoacuana)
and should be: Pinus devoniana Lindl. (Pinus michoacuana Martínez)  

Figure 2 a, b and c
The fonts describing the scale is too small and therefore illegible (should be enlarged).  

 

The flows are influenced by: the shape and dimensions of the structural elements of wood and their share, their relative arrangement and the number, type and arrangement of pits.  In my opinion, the manuscript lacks an important element, namely a description/list in the form of a table regarding the anatomical structure of the tested wood.

Such a list should include: name of the structure element (cell e.g. tracheid of early wood or group of cells e.g. rays), % share in the volume of wood, average dimensions (length, lumen diameter, wall thickness), type and number of pits and their average dimensions and arrangement on the tangential and radial walls. This data is crucial for the possibility of future comparative analyzes of similar tests and simulations performed, for example, on other species of wood.

Yours sincerely
Reviewer

Author Response

Dear Authors,

It is an interesting and well prepared manuscript expanding the knowledge about the anatomy of wood and the factors determining water flow in the xylem. The advantage of the article is the effective use of modern research techniques. Before publishing the manuscript, few corrections/additions should be made in my opinion. I present my comments in a synthetic form.

Substantive comments/editing corrections:

The tested species has many synonyms of Latin names, so its full name Pinus devoniana Lindl. should be given at least once (in the Research Material chapter) and it is also indicated in the Abstract.

Thank you, the was modified according to the suggestion

Lines 177 and 19 Line 40
Is: Pinus devoniana (Pinus michoacuana)
and should be: Pinus devoniana Lindl. (Pinus michoacuana Martínez)  

Thank you, the was modified according to the suggestion

 

Figure 2 a, b and c
The fonts describing the scale is too small and therefore illegible (should be enlarged).  

Thank you, the Figure was modified to increase the font.

The flows are influenced by: the shape and dimensions of the structural elements of wood and their share, their relative arrangement and the number, type and arrangement of pits.  In my opinion, the manuscript lacks an important element, namely a description/list in the form of a table regarding the anatomical structure of the tested wood.

Thank you, Table 1 was added with the quantitative data values discussed in the manuscript.

 

Such a list should include: name of the structure element (cell e.g. tracheid of early wood or group of cells e.g. rays), % share in the volume of wood, average dimensions (length, lumen diameter, wall thickness), type and number of pits and their average dimensions and arrangement on the tangential and radial walls. This data is crucial for the possibility of future comparative analyzes of similar tests and simulations performed, for example, on other species of wood.

Thank you, Table 1 contains the different values obtained from 3D images.

Yours sincerely
Reviewer

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript is well-written, the method used in this research is innovative, and the results are quite interesting. 

 

I have the following questions, comments, and minor suggestions:

1)    Line 2–4 # The title may be refined as "Influence of anatomical spatial architecture of Pinus devoniana on pressure gradients inferred from coupling 3D-CT imaging and numerical flow simulations".

2)    Line 30 # Replace “beneficiando” with an appropriate English word.

3)    Line 34–35 # This study highlights that the spatial architecture of the xylem anatomy is a factor in the resilience of Pinus devoniana. From an ecological point of view, can you explain which factors (e.g., climatic or environmental) or tree growth conditions (e.g., dominant, co-dominant, or suppressed) mainly drive the spatial architecture of the xylem anatomy? If not, this would be a further research question related to the current study.   

4)    Line 173–179 # The sentence is too long for readability. I suggest breaking it down into two to three shorter sentences.  

5)    Figure 7 does not include graphs (c) and (d), even though both are mentioned in the figure caption. Please check.  

6)    I suggest adding subsections in both “Results” and “Discussion” sections for better readability.

7)    Line 581–582 # Replace “that determine” with “contribute to”.

 

8)    In the conclusion section, I suggest adding some sentences about the implications of this research.

Author Response

The manuscript is well-written, the method used in this research is innovative, and the results are quite interesting. 

 

I have the following questions, comments, and minor suggestions:

• Line 2–4 # The title may be refined as "Influence of anatomical spatial architecture of Pinus devonianaon pressure gradients inferred from coupling 3D-CT imaging and numerical flow simulations".

Thank you, the Title was modified according to the commentary

• Line 30 # Replace “beneficiando” with an appropriate English word.

Thank you, the word was replaced

 

• Line 34–35 # This study highlights that the spatial architecture of the xylem anatomy is a factor in the resilience of Pinus devoniana. From an ecological point of view, can you explain which factors (e.g., climatic or environmental) or tree growth conditions (e.g., dominant, co-dominant, or suppressed) mainly drive the spatial architecture of the xylem anatomy? If not, this would be a further research question related to the current study.

Thank you, the spatial architecture of xylem anatomy plays a major role in tree growth conditions that could be affected by different factors, and we will continue working in analyzing the xylem of different wood species that are affected by different climatic, location and environmental phenomena.

 

4)    Line 173–179 # The sentence is too long for readability. I suggest breaking it down into two to three shorter sentences.  

Thank you, the sentence was break into three sentences.

5)    Figure 7 does not include graphs (c) and (d), even though both are mentioned in the figure caption. Please check.  

Thank you, the caption was modified.

6)    I suggest adding subsections in both “Results” and “Discussion” sections for better readability.

Thank you, subsections were added.

7)    Line 581–582 # Replace “that determine” with “contribute to”.

Thank you, it was modified according to the suggestion.

8)    In the conclusion section, I suggest adding some sentences about the implications of this research.

Thank you, additional commentaries were made in the conclusions section.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Forest-3123412

 

This study was adequately presented, however the references must be update, The references are older. 

 

Abstract

L19-28 these lines are longer and few for results then they can shorted and more lines can be added to results.

L30 Spanish word

 

Introduction

This section is adequately presented, and all paragraphs were focused to objective. However, some observations can be considered: 

 

L46 What is ERA5-ECMWF?

L48-80 There are many information, and some parts are confused. Then, it is better to separate in 2 or 3 paragraph

L80-82  The equations must be referenced

 

Materials and Methods

L138-139 add city and country of equipment 

L131-132 These lines are 3D images acquisition

 

L186-190 is it possible to add the limits of color for each conditions.

 

 

Results

The results were presented appropriately. However, some part look like large, it is necessary for results description. Some comments can be considered:

 

L241 Are there possibility to add scale? 

L267  Idem

L335 Some number and letter can not see. The resolution of figure must be improved. Scientific name in italic form.

L364 Some number and letter can not see. The resolution of figure must be improved.

 

 

Discussion

 

L511 BS: this abbreviation was not mentioned.

L533 What is P50 conifers.

L550 RS: this abbreviation was not mentioned.

Author Response

This study was adequately presented, however the references must be update, The references are older. 

Thank you, Some recent additional references were added.

 

Abstract

L19-28 these lines are longer and few for results then they can shorted and more lines can be added to results.

Thank you, the abstract was modified.

 

L30 Spanish word

Thank you, the word was corrected.

 

Introduction

This section is adequately presented, and all paragraphs were focused to objective. However, some observations can be considered: 

 

L46 What is ERA5-ECMWF?

Thank you, the whole name was updated in the manuscript.

 

L48-80 There are many information, and some parts are confused. Then, it is better to separate in 2 or 3 paragraph

Thank you, the whole paragraph was modified according to the suggestion.

 

L80-82  The equations must be referenced

Thank you, the equations were referenced.

Materials and Methods

L138-139 add city and country of equipment 

Thank you, the data were added.

 

L131-132 These lines are 3D images acquisition

Thank you, the lines were moved into the 3D images acquisition.

L186-190 is it possible to add the limits of color for each conditions.

Thank you, a color distribution was added in Figure 2.

 

Results

The results were presented appropriately. However, some part look like large, it is necessary for results description. Some comments can be considered:

 

L241 Are there possibility to add scale? 

Thank you, it is difficult to add some scale bar because it could misleading due the 3D effect in such images.

 

L267  Idem

Thank you, it is difficult to add some scale bar because it could misleading due the 3D effect in such images.

L335 Some number and letter can not see. The resolution of figure must be improved. Scientific name in italic form.

Thank you, the figure was modified

L364 Some number and letter can not see. The resolution of figure must be improved.

 Thank you, the figure was modified

 

 

Discussion

 

L511 BS: this abbreviation was not mentioned.

Thank you, the BS means branched system and it was updated in the manuscript

 

L533 What is P50 conifers.

Thank you, additional commentary was added in the discussion section

 

L550 RS: this abbreviation was not mentioned.

Thank you, the was a typo mistake, the correct abbreviation is BS. It was updated in the manuscript