Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Greening and Human Well-Being Improving: The Role of Ecological Policies
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is an excellent study with strong rationale and excellent research design, which is a research topic of comparative public relations, the article is well written, analysis is more comprehensive, and figures are very beautiful. Author of this article used time series of a remotely-sensed vegetation index and related these to the Human Development Index. The method is somewhat innovative. The impact of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Project implemented by the Chinese government since 1978 on environmental changes and human activities is confirmed, and positive and reliable conclusions are drawn, which are good guidelines for the environmental protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the designation of future policies.
Author Response
Thank you very much for the reviewer's affirmation of the idea and writing of this paper.
Reviewer 2 Report
Some remarks for corrections have been indicated in text and also as comment in margins of the pages.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
1.Please mention the questions of this research in last paragraph of Introduction.
In the last paragraph, the key scientific questions to be addressed are identified as follows:
Under the national and even regional ecological policies, how the fragile ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau changes, whether the effects of the ecological policy appear, and whether human welfare has been improved while protecting the ecology are the main contents of this study. Based on this, the study systematically reviewed the ecological protection policies on the QTP and compared the changes of ecological vegetation in the national protected areas and non-protected areas, revealing the effect of national policies on restoring the ecosystem and promoting the improvement of people's Well-being on the QTP, and enhancing the awareness of the benefits of national policies on ecological environment protection. Especially, this study can be used as a reference for other countries in the world to coordinate the development of ecological protection and well-being.
2.This paragraph is not related to RESULTS. It is a kind of implications (concepts) and can be suited for INTRODUCTION.
This paragraph has been adjusted to Vegetation trend analysis section.
3.This paragraph is irrelevant. it is better to be removed.
has been removed
4. other minor problems
All minor issues have been corrected.
Reviewer 3 Report
Tittle. The title conveys the main message of the paper — the issues addressed and the relationships among the issues.
Abstract. The abstract is concise, provides a clear overview, and includes essential facts for the paper but it’s necessary to include the aim of the research.
Keywords. These are enough for the topic.
Introduction. In the first paragraph, the authors talk about QTP but there isn’t a previous definition. It’s necessary to include this information. The second and third paragraphs provide the background necessary to see the particular topic of the research in relation to a general area of study. It’s necessary to include one paragraph with the aim of the research. This aim establishes the purpose and follows the need to express more information about a problem or topic.
Material and methods. In this section, the authors describe the correct steps that followed during conducting their study.
2.2. Vegetation trend analysis — In this section, it’s necessary to write the software used during the analysis.
2.3. Human Development Index — In the first paragraph it’s necessary to include the UNDP’s definition and reference.
Results and analysis. This section was well written and shows all data with good descriptions. The results must say about the objective that motivates the research.
3.1. Spatiotemporal patterns of NDVI change — In the second paragraph, it’s necessary to write the p-value of 4.7% for desert/gobi ecosystem.
Figure 2 — The size letters are deficient; it’s necessary to improve the size to read the legend correctly.
Discussion. In this section, the authors take a broad look at their findings and examine the work in the larger context of the field.
4.1. Ecological policies and NDVI change — In the first paragraph, the authors must rewrite the last sentence because it isn’t clear and forgot to open a parenthesis.
Conclusion. This section included the major conclusions, which were briefly written. However, it’s necessary to focus the conclusion based on only the results obtained, and avoid the general conclusions, e.g. around the world.
Author Response
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Tittle. The title conveys the main message of the paper — the issues addressed and the relationships among the issues.
Abstract. The abstract is concise, provides a clear overview, and includes essential facts for the paper but it’s necessary to include the aim of the research.
The research purpose has been added in the abstract. As follows:
This study can be used as a reference for other countries in the world to coordinate the development of ecological protection and well-being.
Keywords. These are enough for the topic.
Introduction. In the first paragraph, the authors talk about QTP but there isn’t a previous definition. It’s necessary to include this information. The second and third paragraphs provide the background necessary to see the particular topic of the research in relation to a general area of study. It’s necessary to include one paragraph with the aim of the research. This aim establishes the purpose and follows the need to express more information about a problem or topic.
This study systematically reviewed the ecological protection policies on the QTP and compared the changes of ecological vegetation in the national protected areas and non-protected areas, revealing the effect of national policies on restoring the ecosystem and promoting the improvement of people's Well-being on the QTP, and enhancing the awareness of the benefits of national policies on ecological environment protection. Especially, this study can be used as a reference for other countries in the world to coordinate the development of ecological protection and well-being.
Material and methods. In this section, the authors describe the correct steps that followed during conducting their study.
2.2. Vegetation trend analysis — In this section, it’s necessary to write the software used during the analysis.
In this study, ArcGIS software was used to classify different vegetation types on the QTP, and spatial analysis of NDVI trends in protected areas and non-protected areas was carried out.
2.3. Human Development Index — In the first paragraph it’s necessary to include the UNDP’s definition and reference.
The definition and connotation of the HDI in this study are all from UNDP and related literatures are cited as follows;
UNSPECIFIED. 1993. Human Development Report, 1990 - UN-DEV-Program. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 46 (2): 430-431.
Results and analysis. This section was well written and shows all data with good descriptions. The results must say about the objective that motivates the research.
3.1. Spatiotemporal patterns of NDVI change — In the second paragraph, it’s necessary to write the p-value of 4.7% for desert/gobi ecosystem.
The p-value of 4.7% has been added.
Figure 2 — The size letters are deficient; it’s necessary to improve the size to read the legend correctly.
When typesetting, the picture should be enlarged and displayed. If it still affects readability, it can be revised and replaced.
Discussion. In this section, the authors take a broad look at their findings and examine the work in the larger context of the field.
4.1. Ecological policies and NDVI change — In the first paragraph, the authors must rewrite the last sentence because it isn’t clear and forgot to open a parenthesis.
According to another reviewer's advice, first paragraph is irrelevant. Thus, it has been removed.
Conclusion. This section included the major conclusions, which were briefly written. However, it’s necessary to focus the conclusion based on only the results obtained, and avoid the general conclusions, e.g. around the world.
According to the suggestions, the summary of the research results is focused (However, the previous conclusions are also retained, because this study has universal and reference significance for the region and even the world), and the specific modifications are as follows:
Over the last 40 years, ecosystem improvement throughout the QTP represents a remarkable achievement of governance, policy and human effort, in which the annual mean NDVI of the Protected areas (PAs) tended to increase significantly at a rate of 2.93×10-4/a (p<0.01) while non-PAs only increased by 0.6×10-4/a (p<0.5). The earlier the establishment of the PAs, the more significant the greening effect will be. This is attributable not only to climate warming and increased precipitation but also various ecological policies. Especially, ecological protection has not slowed improvements in human welfare; on the contrary, the HDI has nearly doubled in the past 40 years.
Ecological progress is important for both regional sustainable growth and global environmental protection. The QTP’s function as an eco-safety barrier has been further consolidated, with increased levels of regional sustainability and public well-being (State Council of the PRC, 2018). It can be said that in terms of global ecological construction, the Chinese government has demonstrated the responsibilities and responsibilities of a large country. China is currently establishing a system of natural protection sites with national parks as the main body. These national park areas, comprising more than 300, 000 km2, will have distinctive ecological characteristics and provide research value in terms of recreation and tourism (Bryan et al. 2018). Some PAs around the world had achieved significant management effectiveness, yet some human-induced pressures on the PAs and conflict between biodiversity conservation and the needs of local people or the unbalance between human needs and conservation goals are predicted to increase (Joppa et al., 2008; Oldekop et al., 2016; Fan et al., 2019). We also believe that China's policy on ecological protection on the QTP and the whole country (Holmes 2013), together with other PAs around the world (Geldmann et al., 2013, 2014, 2015; Xu et al., 2016; Geldmann et al., 2019), will continue to make it deserved contribution to the building of a global ecological security barrier and sustainable human development.
