Impacts of Soil Erosion on Soil Quality and Agricultural Sustainability in the North-Western Himalayan Region of India
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is an interesting paper. The author tries to explain a quantitative relationship between soil erosion and soil quality and productivity of rain-fed wheat by comparing field plot data with different degrees of erosion in some sub-tropical Alfisols in the Doon Valley region of India. This paper is methodologically sound and well-organized. The findings are interesting and important that can be effectively used for erosion control and further planning.
However, there are some observations that need to be addressed properly by the author. These are as follows:
• In the Abstract reduce the general statements which are mentioned in beginning. Add methodology which was followed.
• Add Study area map in section 1.1.
• Eq. 2 and 3 should be written using the Equation tool.
• Author added discussion with results. It is better to separate the Discussion as an individual section. Add more critical discussions of the findings, like causes and impacts. It will be easy to understand the matter to readers.
• Page 9, change section number 1.1 to 1.2, please check and change all the section numbers accordingly.
• Page 10, lines 20 and 21, remove bold and underline.
• Many paragraphs are in the Conclusion section. Combined some of the paragraphs and make only two or three paragraphs. Relate the finding to the research questions. Please add more suggestions and future direction of the research according to the findings. Also, add any limitation of the study author was observed during conducting the work/research.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Page 1, 37-38: 10.2Mg ha-1 y-1 is megagrams per hectare in year from cropland – annual soil erosion rate around 4-7t ha-1 yr-1 in Chinese loess plateau. To convert the soil redistribution rate in same unit.
Page 2, 7-10: erosion induced changes in soil properties are not clearly to understanding and what is main focusing of soil properties changes
Page 2, 40-50: I haven’t reading the soil types and properties of study areas. Is there any previous published paper with this contiguous runoff plots? Where is the geographical condition, annual weather data or what means the humid subtropical climate?
Page 3, 6-7: Fig.1 is not clear to understanding. Different phase of soil erosion, Coshocton-type of runoff sampler are difficult to understanding. Maybe reduce the paragraph, to make some scheme for explain experiment is better.
Page 3, 25: Why is soil sampling depth was 0 to 15 cm? what is soil horizon in reference site? Mountain soil are usually indicated low develop with high contain of gravels. But how about the soil distribution and classification in Doon valley in lower Himalayan?
Page 3, 27-36: please clearly explain the laboratory analysis? Particle size analysis by hydrometer method, soil pH in 1:2.5 etc.
Page 3, 37-46: what is correlation with fertilizer with soil redistribution? Fertilizer will increase the aggregation to reduce the soil erosion?
Page 6, 17-26: little confused with soil erosion phases? To make the clear with soil erosion rate estimation.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
The topic is not novel; however, the manuscript provides interesting case study for south Himalaya. The topic meets the scopes of the journal. The working hypotheses are clear and the final statements refer reliably to the data presented. Also, the structure of the manuscript is clear, and the sources are selected adequately.
The only missing information is a closer presentation of soil type(s) under study. Soil name/classification provides a kind of synthetic information, crucial for many researchers, as it is connected to soil origin, topography, transformation etc. In the chapter 1.1 authors presented geology, geomorphology, climate, vegetation, but soil name is missing! I suggest to add the soil name(s) accordng to one of international soil classifications - FAO WRB or Soil Taxonomy. If you don't have your own information about soils in the study sites, you may establish the dominant soils in this region using the Harmonised World Soil Database (actuality: 2022) available here:
https://www.fao.org/soils-portal/data-hub/soil-maps-and-databases/harmonized-world-soil-database-v12/en/
Download the viewer and data (first link).
Moreover, provide the information about texture class (according to USDA standard triangle/classification) in all soils/sites under study. As you know, the erosion may differ in loamy and silty soils featured by the same clay content.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
