Soil Properties Spatial Variability and Delineation of Site-Specific Management Zones Based on Soil Fertility Using Fuzzy Clustering in a Hilly Field in Jianyang, Sichuan, China
, Rong-Jiang Yao 3, Ahmed I. Abdo 2, Peng Li 1, Jiaoguo Jiao 1 and Xiaoyun Chen 1,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The english needs to be improved, although I could just about follow the research done. The Tables are not in the correct order and Table 1 needs reformatting.
The prediction of unsampled areas could have been tested after modelling to give efficacy to the model results
As this is such an important and emerging area for sustainable agriculture, I feel the research has merit. I think that more explanation of the methodology for example as in lines 256-260, adequate explanation of C:P is given with comparison of the literature, this should be done the same way for all parameters measured. This helps the reader follow the procedure and understand the terms used e.g. 'lack', which is not, to my knowledge a usual term for soil properties.
Author Response
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Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript deals with the use of geostatistic to have a clear separation of the soil into management zones.
In general, the MS is well written. However, the references is not cited in the correct for in the text.
I suggest that the authors must read the instruction for authors guide with important attention to the references citation in the text.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
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Reviewer 3 Report
This is a very interesting approach. The strength is in mathematical and geostatistical analyses and modelling. I was first worried about the fact that the crop requirements were totally neglected, but understand this work concentrating on soil spatial variability and variability of crop requirements is another step. The scientific content is acceptable, under my understanding, but the authors need work for finalizing the text: a number of spelling mistakes (such as week? - I am not able to assess the style but see number of spelling mistakes), modify the tables to be easy for reading (table 1 especially, but actually all of them). Tables 2 and 3 have been presented in changed order. Fig. 2 needs zooming to 200% to enable to read - in printed form you cannot do that! Reconsider how many decimals you actually need - when you compare to reference values that includes 2 decimals, do you really need to present 5 decimals in your number? Conclusions need rephrasing. Actually only the last three sentences starting from: 'Mean values in each delineated...' is typified as a conclusion text. Above that is repeating the results. The notice about correlation (or negative c.) between pH and nutrients is not something that can be generalized and not the key conclusion of this study. Discuss about that with your soils experts. Thus more effort is needed for conclusion.
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Reviewer 4 Report
The paper is interesting and the results are clearly presented. However, it must be revised by a native English speaker.
I think that it would be relevant to the scope of this paper, if a few paragraphs were added in the introduction section, instead of the first paragraph (line 49-61), about the soil degradation occurring due to the inadequate and imbalanced fertilization.
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