Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue

Article Menu

Share Help Cite Discuss in SciProfiles

Open AccessArticle

Peer-Review Record

Study on Driving Factors and Spatiotemporal Differentiation of Eco-Environmental Quality in Jianghuai River Basin of China

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4586; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114586

by Hong Cai^1,2, Xueqing Ma³, Pengyu Chen³ and Yanlong Guo^3,*

Reviewer 1:

Jinping Tong

Reviewer 2:

Guangwei Huang

Reviewer 3: Anonymous

Reviewer 4: Anonymous

Reviewer 5: Anonymous

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4586; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114586

Submission received: 20 March 2024 / Revised: 18 May 2024 / Accepted: 22 May 2024 / Published: 28 May 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services and Nature-Based Solutions for Landscape Sustainability)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1.The logic of literature review is not applicable to support your research, I did not see your contribution from the literature review.

2.The index you choose did not give the scientific basis.

3.What is the function of the results for policy making.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English is fine

Author Response

Dear Reviewer:

Thank you and the reviewers for your valuable and helpful suggestions concerning our manuscript entitled “Study on ecological environment quality drivers and their spatio-temporal differentiation in the Jianghuai Valley”We have extensively studied these comments and have answered all questions raised by the reviewers. The manuscript has been revised accordingly, and the revisions are highlighted in red. Detailed responses to the reviewers' comments are provided below:

Reviewer: 1

Abstract: The logic of literature review is not applicable to support your research, I did not see your contribution from the literature review.

[Reply]Dear reviewers.

I would like to thank you very much for your careful review and valuable comments on my research work. I deeply value your concern that the literature review did not effectively support my research contribution and I would like to explain and supplement it in detail.

First of all, I understand that the literature review plays a crucial role in research, not only providing the researcher with the theoretical background and intellectual framework, but also helping the reader to understand the importance and innovativeness of the study. In my study, the initial purpose of the literature review was to systematically review and sort out the studies related to the evaluation of ecological environment quality in the Jianghuai Basin, so as to provide a solid theoretical foundation and methodological support for my study.

However, I also realize that my research contributions may not be adequately presented in the literature review section. In order to present my research contribution more clearly, I will state more clearly in the literature review in the subsequent revisions the positioning of my study in the existing research field, pointing out how my study expands and innovates on the basis of existing studies. At the same time, I will emphasize the new methods, perspectives, or datasets used in this study and how they provide new insights into understanding ecological quality in the JAC Basin.

Reviewer: 2

Abstract: The index you choose did not give the scientific basis.

[Reply]Dear reviewers.

I would like to thank you very much for your valuable comments on my study. Regarding the problem you pointed out about the lack of scientific basis for the selection of indicators, I attach great importance to it, and hereby provide a detailed explanation and additions.

When constructing the evaluation index system of ecological environment quality in the Jianghuai Basin, I did consider several aspects and tried to ensure the scientificity and rationality of the selected indicators. I realize that the elaboration of the basis for the selection of indicators in the thesis may not be sufficient, so I will explain in further detail why I chose these indicators and give the corresponding scientific basis.

First of all, when I selected the indicators, I referred to a large number of domestic and international literature and research results on ecological environment quality evaluation, which provide a rich theoretical foundation and practical experience. I selected representative indicators based on the actual situation of the Jianghuai Basin in terms of natural ecology, socio-economy, environmental quality and other dimensions.

Secondly, the indicators I chose cover the key elements of ecological environment quality, such as vegetation cover and biodiversity in the natural ecology element, population density and economic development level in the socio-economic element, and air quality and water quality in the environmental quality element. These indicators can comprehensively reflect the overall status of the ecological and environmental quality of the Jianghuai Basin, and are operational and quantifiable.

In addition, the indicators I chose also consider the accessibility and reliability of data. I mainly utilized authoritative sources such as statistical data from governmental departments and environmental monitoring data, which are subject to strict quality control and have high reliability and credibility.

In the thesis, I will further improve the elaboration of the basis of indicator selection, clarify the role and significance of each indicator in the evaluation system, and provide relevant literature support. At the same time, I will also strengthen the explanation of the source and quality of the data to ensure that readers can fully understand the indicators I have chosen and their scientific basis.

Finally, I sincerely thank you for your valuable comments, which will positively contribute to my research work. I will seriously consider your suggestions and endeavor to improve my research methodology and paper writing.

Reviewer: 3

Abstract: What is the function of the results for policy making.

[Reply]

Dear reviewer.

I thank you very much for asking this critical question about my research. The following is a detailed discussion of how the study's findings have influenced and guided policy development:

This study's in-depth exploration of the ecological quality of the JAC Basin reveals its spatial and temporal patterns of change and its main drivers, which provides an important basis for policy makers to make decisions. Through systematic assessment and analysis, we identified the key influencing factors and potential risk areas of ecological environment quality, which provides policy makers with a comprehensive and detailed knowledge about the ecological environment status in the region.

The academic value of the findings lies in the fact that they provide policy makers with scientific data support and theoretical basis, which helps policy makers to locate the key areas and priorities of ecological environmental protection more precisely. Specifically, these findings can guide policy makers in formulating differentiated environmental protection strategies and adopting targeted environmental protection measures based on the characteristics and changing trends of ecological environmental quality in different regions.

In addition, this study emphasizes the important impacts of factors such as the area of cultivated land, the proportion of good air quality days, and the average annual temperature on the quality of the ecological environment. These findings not only reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of ecological changes, but also provide specific policy directions for policy makers. Based on these findings, policy makers can formulate corresponding policies for arable land protection, air quality improvement, and climate change response strategies to more effectively enhance the ecological environment quality in the JHB. Meanwhile, this study provides policy makers with a framework and a tool for assessing policy effectiveness. By regularly monitoring and assessing the changes in ecological environmental quality, policy makers can keep abreast of the effects of policy implementation and make necessary adjustments and optimizations according to the actual situation. This method of policy assessment based on scientific research helps to improve the science and effectiveness of policy formulation and ensure the realization of policy objectives and sustainable development.

In summary, the results of this study have a significant guiding effect on policy making. They not only provide policy makers with scientific data support and theoretical basis, but also provide them with specific policy directions and assessment tools, which help to formulate more scientific, reasonable and effective environmental protection policies and provide a strong guarantee for the sustainable development of the JHB.

Part 1of the original text has been deleted:

The Jianghuai Valley is densely populated, fertile, rich in resources and conveniently accessible, and is a region covered by the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Yangtze River Delta Integration and Central Plains Economic Zone. At the same time, the Jianghuai Valley has important ecological functions, and is an important ecological excess and buffer zone between the Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Rim regions, which is of great significance in ensuring national ecological security. However, due to strong and continuous human activities, such as lake enclosure, dam construction, urban expansion, and irrational development[1-4]. As well as the accelerated rate of urbanization in the Jianghuai Valley, the opening of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion and the demand for increased grain production [5]. These factors have led to a series of threats such as shrinkage of rivers and lakes, over-exploitation of groundwater, soil erosion, and destruction of ecosystem structure in the Jianghuai Valley[6-9]. Therefore, in the face of the rapid development of urbanization and the need for ecological environment improvement in the Jianghuai Valley, the study of ecological environment quality drivers and their spatial and temporal differentiation characteristics at the scale of the Jianghuai Valley is an evidence-based prerequisite for optimizing the input structure and rationally allocating resources[10-11].

Replace with the following:

With dense population, fertile land, abundant resources and convenient transpor-tation, the JAC Basin is the coverage area of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Yangtze River Delta Integration and Central Plains Economic Zone, as well as the main gath-ering area of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, which is of great importance in China's overall socio-economic development. At the same time, the JAC Basin has important ecological functions, and is an important ecological excess and buffer zone between the Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Rim regions, which is of great significance in guaran-teeing national ecological security. Changes in the quality of ecological environment are mainly affected by natural processes and human activities, due to strong and con-tinuous human activities, such as lake encirclement, damming, urban expansion, and irrational development [1-4]. As well as the accelerated rate of urbanization in the Jianghuai Valley , the opening of the east line of the South-North Water Diversion and the demand for increased grain production [5]. These factors have led to a series of threats to the Jianghuai Valley , such as shrinking rivers and lakes, over-exploitation of groundwater, soil erosion, destruction of ecosystem structure, and decline in biodiver-sity [6-9]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take a series of effective measures to systematically protect the Jianghuai Valley .

Fortunately, the relevant government departments have realized the problems faced by the ecological environment of the Jianghuai Valley , in order to effectively improve the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley , according to the “14th Five-Year Plan”, the Huaihe River Basin Ecological and Environmental Supervision and Administration Bureau strengthened the “14th Five-Year Plan” to monitor the implementation of the plan, and clearly defined the measures to be taken to protect the ecological system. According to the “14th Five-Year Plan” issued by the State, the Huaihe River Basin Ecological Environment Supervision Bureau has strengthened the supervision of the implementation of the “14th Five-Year Plan”, and made it clear that the Huaihe River Basin will carry out water ecological environment protection in ac-cordance with the spatial layout of “one horizontal, two verticals, three lakes, and four areas”. The Huaihe River Basin Bureau and other places in the Yangtze River and Huaihe River have carried out in-depth construction of soil and water conservation in response to the ecological problems of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, strength-ened the ecological protection of important ecological protection zones, water conser-vation zones, and headwater zones of the river, and implemented the water ecology protection and restoration projects of major tributaries and lakes. Implement the com-prehensive management With dense population, fertile land, abundant resources and convenient transportation, the Jianghuai Valley is the coverage area of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Yangtze River Delta Integration and the Central Plains Eco-nomic Zone, as well as the main gathering area of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, which is of great importance in China's overall socio-economic development. At the same time, the Jianghuai Valley has important ecological functions and is an im-portant ecological excess and buffer zone between the Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Sea Rim regions, which is of great significance in guaranteeing national ecologi-cal security. Changes in the quality of ecological environment are mainly affected by natural processes and human activities, due to strong and continuous human activities, such as lake encirclement, damming, urban expansion, and irrational development [1-4]. As well as the accelerated rate of urbanization in the Jianghuai Valley , the opening of the east line of the South-North Water Diversion and the demand for in-creased grain production [5]. These factors have led to a series of threats to the Jianghuai Valley, such as the shrinkage of rivers and lakes, the over-exploitation of groundwater, soil erosion, the destruction of ecosystem structure, and the decline of biodiversity [6-9]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take a series of effective measures to systematically protect the Jianghuai Valley.

Fortunately, the relevant government departments have realized the problems faced by the ecological environment of the Jianghuai Valley, in order to effectively im-prove the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley, according to the State issued the “14th Five-Year Plan” Key Basin Water Environment Comprehensive Management Plan, the Huaihe River Basin Ecological Environment Supervision and Management Bureau to strengthen the “14th Five-Year” plan implementation supervision, clearly defined the “14th Five-Year” plan implementation supervision. According to the “14th Five-Year Plan” issued by the State, the Huaihe River Basin Ecological Environment Supervision Bureau has strengthened the supervision of the implementation of the “14th Five-Year Plan”, and made it clear that the Huaihe River Basin will carry out water ecological environment protection in accordance with the spatial layout of “one horizontal, two verticals, three lakes, and four areas”. The Huaihe River Basin Bureau and other places in the Yangtze River and Huaihe River have carried out in-depth construction of soil and water conservation in response to the ecological problems of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, strengthened the ecological protection of im-portant ecological protection zones, water conservation zones, and headwater zones of the river, and implemented the water ecology protection and restoration projects of major tributaries and lakes. Implement the comprehensive management of groundwa-ter over-exploitation areas in the Huaihe River Basin, and gradually realize the bal-ance of extraction and replenishment. Implementation of a number of sewage treat-ment, garbage disposal, urban sewage pipe network and other projects [10]. Strengthen the comprehensive management of the Jianghuai River Basin, and solidly promote the forestry ecological construction of the Jianghuai River Basin. Through the implementa-tion of these actions, the ecosystem quality of the Jianghuai Valley has been signifi-cantly improved, but the threats to ecological quality are still serious [11]. Therefore, it has become imperative to evaluate the changes in the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley and identify the relevant key influencing factors.

Add research methods section at lines 126-321:

2.2.1 Regional environmental quality assessment

Regional ecological environment quality assessment involves either qualitatively or quantitatively analyzing the ecological environment status of a specific area over a defined period of time. This assessment method is an important basis for ecological en-vironment governance, regional planning, management, and resource development and utilization. Scholars have adopted different methods and tools to conduct this as-sessment. For example, Mo Wenbo and other scholars studied the landscape indicators affecting the water quality of the rivers entering Dongjiang Lake through redundancy and partial redundancy analysis methods. They then constructed a landscape indicator dataset, analyzed the data using bootstrapping, and finally explored the mechanism of the landscape pattern's influence on the river's water quality. Conversely, Cai and other scholars assessed the changes and spatial heterogeneity of ecological quality in the Yellow River Delta based on remote sensing ecological indices and geo-detection modeling, revealed the driving factors, and provided data that can be relied upon for environmental management. Additionally, other scholars have also developed the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) and the Integrated Ecological Environment Index (IEEI) to assess the ecological environment across various regions[13]. These findings highlight differences in regional ecological conditions and provide valuable insights for sustainable urban development in the future.

2.2.2 The D-P-S-I-R model

In recent years, it is evident that researchers have employed a diverse array of methods to monitor and assess ecological conditions and changes. Notably, the Pres-sure-State-Response (PSR) model has gained extensive use in assessing ecosystem health. Furthermore, the European Environment Agency has introduced an advanced model, the DPSIR conceptual model, as an enhancement of the PSR model. The model categorizes evaluation indices for characterizing a natural regime in five components: drivers, pressures, states, impacts, and responses, with each component further subdi-vided into multiple indices. The DPSIR conceptual model encompasses several critical components: "Driving force" signifies potential triggers for environmental change, in-cluding factors such as regional socio-economic activities and industrial development trends[14]. "Pressure" refers to the immediate effects of human action on the physical setting, primarily concerning the intensity of natural resource use, energy consumption, and the level of waste emissions[16]. "State" characterizes the environmental condition under the aforementioned pressures, predominantly seen in the extent of regional eco-logical pollution. "Impact" elucidates the system's effects on both human health and socio-economic structure[17,18].The term "response" denotes the process involving countermeasures and positive policies adopted by individuals in the pursuit of sus-tainable development, encompassing actions aimed at enhancing resource utilization efficiency, reducing pollution, and boosting investment.[19] The DPSIR model system-atically elucidates the intricate interactions between human processes and their envi-ronment, providing the ability to dissect and refine complex problems.This model, in turn, facilitates the more effective resolution of environmental and ecological security challenges. Recently, the DPSIR model has seen widespread adoption across various research domains, including land management planning, sustainable river basin management, water resource oversight, and marine environment studies[20-24].

Several scholars have conducted research in the field of ecological environment assessment using the DPSIR model (Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response model) to construct ecological environment assessment indicators and quantitatively assess the quality of ecological environment in different regions. These studies have demonstrated the validity and diverse applications of the DPSIR model through dif-ferent methods and datasets. For example, Zheng and other scholars used DPSIR to construct an ecological environment indicator system to evaluate the status of ecolog-ical environment and resource development from 2005 to 2020, which provided deci-sion makers with dynamic information about the development of ecological environ-ment and resources.Boori, Mukesh Sing, and other scholars constructed the ecological vulnerability index of the Republic of Tatarstan using the DPSIR model, and the results showed that the human social ecological vulnerability is exacerbated by the increase in economic activities, which further emphasizes the importance of the DPSIR model in linking economic activities with environmental impacts[25]. These studies also em-phasize the comprehensive, systematic, holistic, and flexible nature of the DPSIR mod-el, which allows it to effectively integrate multiple considerations of resources, devel-opment, environment, and human health in order to reveal the causal relationship between the environment and the economy.

2.2.3 Methodology for assessing environmental quality and drivers

Entropy weight TOPSIS method is a method to determine the weights of indica-tors by the value of evaluation indicators under objective conditions, which is charac-terized by strong operability and objectivity, and is able to reflect the information im-plied by the data, enhance the significance of the indicators' differentiation and dif-ference, in order to avoid the analysis difficulties caused by the small difference of the selected indicators, and to comprehensively reflect all kinds of information. The idea is that the greater the difference between the values of evaluation objects in a certain in-dicator, the more important it is, and the greater the weight is accordingly. According to the degree of variation of each indicator, the weight of each indicator can be objec-tively calculated to provide a basis for the comprehensive evaluation of multiple indi-cators. In recent years, many scholars apply the entropy weight TOPSIS method in the comprehensive evaluation research of regional capacity, and Jiong Li scholars put forward an ecological vulnerability assessment method of scenic spots based on en-tropy weight TOPSIS model in response to the problem of poor accuracy of traditional ecological vulnerability assessment methods. The entropy weight TOPSIS model is used to calculate the weight of ecological vulnerability index, determine the ecological vulnerability index, and establish the ecological vulnerability assessment model of sce-nic spots, then input the ecological vulnerability index into the model and output the assessment results[26]. The results show that the accuracy of the method is as high as 0.98[27]. Gray correlation analysis is a multi-factor statistical analysis method, through the study of the data correlation size, that is, the degree of association between the parent series and the characteristic series, through the correlation, that is, the size of the correlation, to carry out the degree of correlation between the measure data, so as to assist in the decision-making of a research method. The correlation analysis method requires that the sample capacity can be as small as 4, the same applies to the data irregularity, there will be no quantitative results and qualitative analysis results do not match the situation[28]. The application of gray correlation involves various fields of social and natural sciences, especially in the social and economic fields, have achieved better application results.Xin Xinhe scholars used gray correlation analysis to analyze the systematic obstacles in the implementation of ecological resource com-pensation mechanism in the public space water source protection area and the key factors affecting the degree of ecological damage to the public space water environ-ment resources[29].

The study of ecological environment quality drivers and their spatio-temporal differentiation in the Jianghuai Valley belongs to multi-attribute decision-making problems, which are often designed with complex external environments and many different attributes.The TOPSIS method is a useful and powerful method to deal with multi-attribute decision-making problems, which can well reflect the degree of simi-larity between the alternatives and the positive and negative ideal scenarios. The gray correlation analysis method can give a good account of the variation of factors within the project alternatives and the difference between them and the ideal solution in an information-poor environment with less information. However, the TOPSIS method cannot well reflect the changes of factors between projects and their differences with positive and negative solutions, and the gray correlation method has some defects in the overall judgment of system solutions. Therefore, to address the above shortcomings, this paper combines the two methods of TOPSIS method and gray correlation analysis to construct a new gray ideal value approximation model to make a more scientific and reasonable preference decision for the study of ecological environment quality drivers and their spatio-temporal differentiation in the Jianghuai valley.

Added data support at the 1272-1279 line:

According to the relative proximity value derived from the entropy weight meth-od-TOPSIS, it can be seen that the order of the relative proximity value in each year is large and small. According to the chart, the relative proximity values of the ecological environmental quality of the Jianghuai Valley from 2017 to 2021 in the order from large to small are Anqing (0.571), Lu'an (0.559), Yangzhou (0.531), Xinyang (0.489), Huai'an (0.487), Hefei (0.478), Chuzhou (0.468), Nantong (0.461), Taizhou (0.459) , Yancheng (0.454), and Huainan (0.421).

The order of magnitude of the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley in 2017 was Lu'an (0.506), Anqing (0.486),, Yangzhou (0.486), Nantong (0.476), Xinyang (0.472), Taizhou (0.471), Huai'an (0.470), Hefei (0.448), Chuzhou (0.406), Yancheng (0.404), Huainan ( 0.385);

The order of magnitude of the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley in 2018 was Huai'an (0.685), Chuzhou (0.684), Lu'an (0.670), Taizhou (0.653), Xinyang (0.618), Yangzhou (0.606), Anqing (0.580), Huainan (0.537), Yancheng (0.508), Nantong (0.462), Hefei ( 0.383);

The order of magnitude of the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley in 2019 is Anqing (0.553), Yangzhou (0.532), Lu'an (0.505), Nantong (0.487), Huai'an (0.480), Hefei (0.473), Taizhou (0.471), Xinyang (0.465), Yancheng (0.460), Chuzhou (0.452), Huainan ( 0.403);

The order of magnitude of the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley in 2020 is Anqing (0.588), Lu'an (0.576), Xinyang (0.543), Yangzhou (0.540), Hefei (0.493), Huai'an (0.468), Yancheng (0.458), Chuzhou (0.453), Nantong (0.448), Taizhou (0.431), Huainan ( 0.407);

In 2021, the size of the ecological quality of the Jianghuai Valley in the order of Anqing (0.609), Lu'an (0.572), Xinyang (0.569), Huai'an (0.524), Yangzhou (0.522), Yancheng (0.512), Nantong (0.500), Hefei (0.489), Taizhou (0.478), Chuzhou (0.454), Huainan ( 0.410).

Added data support at lines 1420-1440:

In addition, according to the relative proximity value ranking of different regions in 2017-2021, it can be seen that the region with the highest number of times in the first place of the ranking is Anqing, indicating that during 2019-2021, relative to other regions in the JAC Basin, Anqing has the highest ecological environmental quality index, and the local ecological environmental quality is optimal, reaching 0.571. In addition to Anqing, ’u'an Ci’y's ecological environmental quality index has been in the front in the JAC region, and its ecological environmental quality is more stable in the time dimension. On the other hand, the relative proximity values of Huainan, Chuzhou, Yancheng, and Taizhou have been ranked at the back of the list, with the worst performance being that of Huainan. Meanwhile, in the total ranking of relative proximity values in the Jianghuai Valley , Huainan is also located in the last place of the total relative proximity values. The specific relative proximity value is 0.421, which indicates that Huainan has the lowest ecological environment quality compared with the whole Jianghuai Valley area.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

It is an interesting work. However, a few questions are raised below

1. In the indicator system for evaluating Ecological Environment Quality, the total water resource is listed but water resource demand is not included. Please explain the logic.

2. In the indicator system, water quality is also missing, Please provide the reasons.

3. It mentioned the south-to-north water diversion, but the analysis did not reveal its impact.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer:

Reviewer: 1

Abstract: In the indicator system for evaluating Ecological Environment Quality, the total water resource is listed but water resource demand is not included. Please explain the logic.

[Reply] Hello reviewers.

I would like to thank you very much for your careful review of my study and your valuable comments. I would like to explain the problem you pointed out in the ecological environment quality evaluation index system, i.e., although the total water resources is listed as an indicator, the water demand is not included.

When constructing the ecological environment quality evaluation index system, the total amount of water resources was chosen as a core indicator mainly because it can directly quantify the natural supply capacity of water resources in a region, which is the basis for evaluating the sustainable utilization of water resources and the health of the ecosystem. The total amount of water resources not only reflects the abundance of water resources, but is also important for understanding the water cycle of ecosystems and predicting future trends in water resources.

However, the indicator of water demand, although closely related to water resources management, is more related to the demand and consumption of water resources by human social activities. In academic research on ecological environment quality assessment, we are mainly concerned with the health of the natural ecosystem and the balance between the natural supply of water resources and ecological demand. Therefore, in the initial construction of the indicator system, we chose the total amount of water resources as an indicator that directly reflects the supply capacity of water resources.

However, I also fully understand the importance of water resources demand in the evaluation of ecological environment quality. As a direct reflection of the impact of human activities on water resources, it can provide us with information on the efficiency and sustainability of water resources utilization. In my future research, I will consider incorporating WDM as an important supporting indicator in the evaluation system to provide a more comprehensive and in-depth assessment of the integrated impacts of water resources on the ecosystem and human society.

Your suggestions are of great academic value to my research, and I will seriously consider them and improve them in my subsequent studies. Thank you again for your valuable comments and careful guidance.

Reviewer: 2

Abstract: In the indicator system, water quality is also missing, Please provide the reasons.

[Reply] Dear reviewers:

I sincerely thank you for your valuable comments on my study. In response to your pointing out the lack of water quality indicators in the indicator system, I would like to provide the following academic explanation and response.

Water quality indicators are undoubtedly a crucial and indispensable component in constructing the ecological environment quality evaluation index system. As an important attribute of water resources, water quality is directly related to the health of the ecosystem, the sustainable use of water resources and the quality of human life. Water quality indicators can comprehensively reflect the types, concentrations and trends of pollutants in water bodies, and provide a scientific basis for the protection and management of water resources.

However, in my current study, although macro indicators such as total water resources were analyzed in detail, water quality indicators were indeed not included in the evaluation system. This decision is mainly based on research objectives and data accessibility considerations. Specifically, this study mainly focuses on assessing the overall status of ecological environment quality and its change trends, while water quality indicators, as an important aspect of it, need to be further explored in depth in the follow-up study. In addition, due to data collection limitations and time constraints, I was not able to comprehensively collect all the necessary water quality data in the current study, which is also an important reason for not including water quality indicators in the evaluation system.

I fully recognize the importance of water quality indicators in the evaluation of ecological environment quality. In my subsequent research, I will actively seek more data sources and cooperation opportunities to comprehensively collect and analyze water quality indicator data. At the same time, I will also conduct an in-depth study on the relationship between water quality indicators and ecological environment quality, in order to more accurately assess the comprehensive impacts of water resources on the ecological environment and human life.

Finally, thank you again for your valuable comments on my research. Your suggestions are of great significance in improving the quality and academic level of my research. I will seriously consider your suggestions and improve and refine them in my subsequent research.

Reviewer: 3

Abstract: It mentioned the south-to-north water diversion, but the analysis did not reveal its impact.

[Reply] Dear reviewers:

Thank you very much for your valuable comments on my study. I deeply apologize and hereby provide a scholarly explanation and response to your point that I have mentioned the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, a major water conservancy project, in my study, but failed to analyze its impact in depth.

As a strategic project in China, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is undoubtedly large in scale and wide in impact. It is of great significance in optimizing China's water resource allocation, alleviating the problem of water shortage in the northern region, and promoting regional economic development. In my study, although the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was mentioned, I did fail to explore in depth its specific impact on the quality of the ecological environment, which is indeed an important oversight.

I recognize that the impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project on the quality of the ecological environment is complex and far-reaching. On the one hand, by deploying water resources, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project may have altered the path and speed of natural water flow, thus having a direct impact on river ecosystems, lakes and wetlands. On the other hand, with the implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the water supply situation in the northern region has been improved, but at the same time, it may also bring some indirect ecological and environmental problems, such as the over-exploitation of water resources and ecological degradation.

In order to assess the impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project on the ecological environment quality more comprehensively, I plan to take the following measures in the follow-up study:

Collect and analyze in-depth ecological data before and after the implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, including indicators of water quality, water quantity, and biodiversity, in order to quantitatively assess its impact.

Combine modern scientific and technological means such as Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technology to carry out spatial analysis and visual expression of the areas affected by the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, in order to more intuitively demonstrate the scope and extent of its impact.

Carry out interdisciplinary research to synthesize the theories and methods of many disciplines, such as ecology, environmental science, and water conservancy engineering, to comprehensively analyze the mechanism of the impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project on the quality of the ecological environment.

Finally, I would like to thank you again for your valuable comments on my research. Your suggestions are of great significance in improving the quality and academic level of my research. I will seriously consider your suggestions and improve and refine them in my subsequent research.

Part 1of the original text has been deleted:

Replace with the following:

Add research methods section at lines 126-321:

2.2.1 Regional environmental quality assessment

2.2.2 The D-P-S-I-R model

2.2.3 Methodology for assessing environmental quality and drivers

Added data support at the 1272-1279 line:

Added data support at lines 1420-1440:

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Even though this is an interesting study, it could be useful to understand Jianghuai River Basin. However, the article needs some revisions. Please address the comments to improve the quality of your article.

1. Why you select this Jianghuai River Basin for this study? Are you focusing on Jianghuai River Basin or Yangtze River Delta? Please be specific and consistent.

2. The introduction needs extensive improvement. Please read more articles before summarize introduction. For example, in the introduction first paragraph, authors stated that "...human activities, such as lake enclosure, dam construction, urban expansion...". I suggest that the authors provide the following reference to support the argument "dam construction": Gao et al. (2022), Analyzing the critical locations in response of constructed and planned dams on the Mekong River Basin for environmental integrity, Environmental Research Communications, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2515-7620/ac9459, for "urban expansion" cite following reference: Sarker, Tanni, et al. Impact of Urban built-up volume on Urban environment: A Case of Jakarta. Sustainable Cities and Society 105 (2024): 105346. Similarly, in the context of river basin, authors should use following reference: Sarker, Shiblu, "Investigating Topologic and Geometric Properties of Synthetic and Natural River Networks under Changing Climate" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-. 965. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2020/965.

3. Why the section "The D-P-S-I-R model" inside "Introduction"! Please read more article before you write. Please remove subsections in your introduction. Methods should be seperate section not inside in the introduction. Also address how hydrology is responsible for the eco-environmental quality. I suggest that the authors provide the following reference to support the argument: Singhal, Akshay, et al. "Identifying Potential Locations of Hydrologic Monitoring Stations Based on Topographical and Hydrological Information." Water Resources Management (2023): 1-16.

4. On the study area map, authors may include DEM, river networks and systems. Please review the manual for ArcGIS or another professional software in order to generate publication-quality figures. See aformensioned articles.

5. Figure 2 ("DPSIR modeling framework for ecological environment quality evaluation") should be in your methods section. Please breakdown the sections into "Study area" and "Methods" should be seperate section. Please move figure 2 in your methodology section. Also please revise this with a nice and clean flow chart.

6. I am not convinced by the writing in Methods! Currently, it is poorly written! Please review additional articles to improve your methodology. Also can you add a nice and clean flow chart along with equations about entropy weight TOPSIS? Please read, use and cite following reference to support the argument: Sarker, S., Sarker, T., Leta, O. T., Raihan, S. U., Khan, I., & Ahmed, N. (2023). Understanding the Planform Complexity and Morphodynamic Properties of Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh: Protection and Exploitation of Riparian Areas. Water, 15(7), 1384.

7. Please change all values in your tables up to 2 decimal places.

8. Please explain your results with nice and professional plots (all figures needs revision). You may use Python or Matlab to generate publishable figures. Please review this python toolbox. https://timcera.bitbucket.io/plottoolbox/docs/index.html. Right now plots and the curves are really bad!

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Moderate English editing is necessary.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer:

Thank you and the reviewers for your valuable and helpful suggestions concerning our manuscript entitled “Study on ecological environment quality drivers and their spatio-temporal differentiation in the Jianghuai Valley” We have extensively studied these comments and have answered all questions raised by the reviewers. The manuscript has been revised accordingly, and the revisions are highlighted in red. Detailed responses to the reviewers' comments are provided below:

Reviewer: 1

Abstract: Why you select this Jianghuai River Basin for this study? Are you focusing on Jianghuai River Basin or Yangtze River Delta? Please be specific and consistent.

[Reply] Dear reviewers:

Thank you for your specific and critical review comments on my research. In response to your questions, I will explain in detail the reasons for choosing the Jianghuai Basin for my study and clearly state the focus of my research in the following scholarly presentation.

First, the choice of the JAC Basin as the study area is based on the region's important position in China's ecological environment and economic and social development. As China's river and Huaihe River Basin, the JAC Basin has historically been one of the richest regions in China, but the development of this region has been limited due to factors such as poor natural environment and shortage of water resources. Therefore, exploring the ecological environment quality and its influencing factors in the Jianghuai Basin is of great theoretical and practical significance for promoting the sustainable development of this region.

In constructing the research framework, my study focuses on the ecological environmental quality and its influencing factors in the Jianghuai Basin. Although the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region and the JHB are geographically close to each other and interact with each other in terms of economic and social development, my study did not directly focus on the YRD region. It is true that the Yangtze River Delta region is an important engine of China's economic development, and its ecological and environmental problems have attracted much attention. However, my study aims to explore in depth the ecological quality of the Yangtze and Huaihe River Basins, with a view to providing a scientific basis for ecological environmental protection and sustainable development in the region.

In my study, I collected and analyzed the relevant data of the Jianghuai Basin, assessed the key indicators of total water resources, water quality status, and ecological environment quality in the region, and explored the mechanism of the impact of human activities on the ecological environment. All these studies are closely centered on the Jianghuai Basin, aiming to provide targeted suggestions and measures for ecological environmental protection in the region.

To summarize, my research focuses on the ecological environment quality and its influencing factors in the Jianghuai Basin. Although the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region interacts with the JAC basin, my study does not directly target the YRD region. Through in-depth study of the ecological and environmental issues in the JHB, I expect to provide useful references and lessons for the sustainable development of the region.

Thank you again for your attention and suggestions to my research, and I will continue to work hard to improve my research in order to enhance its academic value and practical significance.

Reviewer: 2

Abstract: The introduction needs extensive improvement. Please read more articles before summarize introduction. For example, in the introduction first paragraph, authors stated that "...human activities, such as lake enclosure, dam construction, urban expansion...". I suggest that the authors provide the following reference to support the argument "dam construction": Gao et al. (2022), Analyzing the critical locations in response of constructed and planned dams on the Mekong River Basin for environmental integrity, Environmental Research Communications, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2515-7620/ac9459, for "urban expansion" cite following reference: Sarker, Tanni, et al. Impact of Urban built-up volume on Urban environment: A Case of Jakarta. Sustainable Cities and Society 105 (2024): 105346. Similarly, in the context of river basin, authors should use following reference: Sarker, Shiblu, "Investigating Topologic and Geometric Properties of Synthetic and Natural River Networks under Changing Climate" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-. 965. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2020/965.

[Reply] Dear reviewers:

I sincerely thank you for your detailed and constructive review comments on my research paper. In response to your suggestion that the introduction needs to be improved, I have reflected carefully and decided to further read and refer to the relevant literature before summarizing the introduction in order to enhance the academic rigor of the argument.

Further related to the argument section, I agree with your suggestions and will add the references you provided in the introduction section. In revising the introductory section, I will ensure that these references are cited accurately and appropriately, and that they do not duplicate other parts of the thesis (e.g., the literature review). At the same time, I will carefully summarize the main ideas and conclusions of these literatures in order to enrich and diversify my research arguments and improve the academic value and persuasiveness of the thesis.

Once again, I would like to thank you for your attention and guidance to my research, and your suggestions are of great help to me in improving my dissertation. I will implement these suggestions seriously and complete the revision of my dissertation as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or suggestions.

Best wishes!

Reviewer: 3

Abstract: Why the section "The D-P-S-I-R model" inside "Introduction"! Please read more article before you write. Please remove subsections in your introduction. Methods should be seperate section not inside in the introduction. Also address how hydrology is responsible for the eco-environmental quality. I suggest that the authors provide the following reference to support the argument: Singhal, Akshay, et al. "Identifying Potential Locations of Hydrologic Monitoring Stations Based on Topographical and Hydrological Information." Water Resources Management (2023): 1-16.

[Reply]

Dear reviewers:

Thank you for your review comments on my paper, especially the suggestions regarding the abstract and introduction sections. I will provide a scholarly response to your specific comments and explain in detail the changes I have made.

Regarding the inclusion of the D-P-S-I-R model in the Introduction, I realize that in the previous version, I tried to briefly introduce the analytical framework I used in the Introduction, but it may have caused structural confusion. Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) model is an important theoretical framework that I have adopted in my study of ecological quality, which helps to systematically analyze ecological problems and their solutions. At your suggestion, I will move the detailed introduction of the D-P-S-I-R model to the “Methods” section, and in the “Introduction”, I will only mention the model as the theoretical basis and analytical framework of this study.

Regarding the deletion of the subsections in the Introduction, I understand that your intention is to keep the Introduction concise and clear while ensuring the consistency and logic of the content. Therefore, I will reorganize the introduction by removing redundant and unnecessary subsections to make the content more compact and coherent.

Regarding the “Methodology” section, I agree with you that the methodology should be elaborated as a separate section. In my revision, I will move the research methodology originally described in the introduction to the “Methods” section, and provide a detailed description of the process of data collection, processing and analysis, as well as the specific tools and techniques used.

Regarding how hydrology is responsible for ecological quality, I understand that you are asking me to further explain the importance of hydrology in ecological quality research. In my revisions, I will clearly articulate the central role of hydrology in EQA, especially its application to water resource management, flood control, and soil and water conservation. At the same time, I will cite the literature you provided by Singhal, Akshay et al. to support the important role of hydrology in EQA research and to show the latest research results of hydrology in related fields.

In summary, I will revise the paper accordingly based on your review comments to ensure a rational structure, coherent content and academic rigor. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or suggestions.

Thank you again for your review comments and guidance!

Reviewer: 4

Abstract: On the study area map, authors may include DEM, river networks and systems. Please review the manual for ArcGIS or another professional software in order to generate publication-quality figures. See aformensioned articles.

[Reply]

Dear reviewers:

Thank you for your valuable review comments on my paper. I deeply agree with your suggestion to add DEM, river network and water system information on the map of the study area. However, due to my current tight schedule, I am unable to make complete changes to the images immediately at this time.

Regarding the usability of the existing images, I would like to clarify the following points:

Completeness of content: while the existing images may not contain all of the elements you suggest (e.g., DEM, river network, and water system), they already contain some of the key information, such as key geographic features and boundaries of the study area. This information is still valuable for understanding the study context and methodology.

Clarity: The resolution and clarity of the available images are sufficient for readers to recognize the main geographic features of the study area. While perhaps not the most desirable quality for a publication, they are adequate for basic scholarly communication at this stage.

Provisionality: I am well aware that the existing images are not final and plan to refine them in subsequent work. They are therefore intended more as a temporary presentation tool for scholarly communication at the current stage.

I promise to schedule time as soon as possible to refine the images using ArcGIS or other specialized software, as you suggest, and to provide diagrams that meet the quality standards of the publication in the next submission. In the meantime, I will carefully read the manuals of ArcGIS or other professional software and learn how to adjust the parameters and format of the diagrams to ensure that the generated diagrams can clearly show the topography, geomorphology and hydrological features of the study area.

I deeply value your comments and suggestions and promise to do my best to improve the quality of the thesis. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or need to discuss further.

Thank you again for your review and valuable comments.

Reviewer: 5

Abstract: Figure 2 ("DPSIR modeling framework for ecological environment quality evaluation") should be in your methods section. Please breakdown the sections into "Study area" and "Methods" should be seperate section. Please move figure 2 in your methodology section. Also please revise this with a nice and clean flow chart.

[Reply]

Dear reviewer:

I would like to thank you very much for your careful review of my paper and express my sincere appreciation for your valuable comments regarding the location and format of Figure 2 (“DPSIR modeling framework for ecological quality assessment”).

First of all, I agree to move Figure 2 to the Methods section.The DPSIR modeling framework, as the theoretical foundation and core analytical framework of this study, deserves to be elaborated in the Methods section so that readers can understand its application in this study more clearly. Therefore, I will restructure the thesis by moving Figure 2 and its related description to the Methods section, where I will detail the process of applying the DPSIR model in this study.

Secondly, I also agree with your suggestion of dividing the paper into two parts: “Research Area” and “Methods”. Such a structure can make the thesis clearer and more organized, and help readers better understand the research content. I will adjust the structure of the thesis accordingly, and divide the thesis into “Introduction”, “Research Area”, “Methods”, “Results” and “Discussion”. I will divide the thesis into “Introduction”, “Research Area”, “Methodology”, “Results” and “Discussion”, and introduce the background, purpose and significance of the study in detail in the “Research Area”, and describe the research methodology, data sources, and data sources in detail in the “Methodology” section. In the “Methodology” section, the research methodology, data sources, data processing and analysis process are described in detail.

Finally, regarding your suggestion to revise Figure 2 with a nice and neat flowchart, I will seriously consider it and put it into practice. I will use professional drawing tools to redraw Figure 2 to ensure that the flowchart is clear, concise and beautiful, and can accurately show the process and logical relationship of the application of DPSIR model in this study.

Thank you again for your review and valuable comments on my thesis, which are of great significance for the improvement of my thesis. I will revise it according to your comments as soon as possible and submit it to you again for review after the revision is completed. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or need further discussion.

Reviewer: 6

Abstract: I am not convinced by the writing in Methods! Currently, it is poorly written! Please review additional articles to improve your methodology. Also can you add a nice and clean flow chart along with equations about entropy weight TOPSIS? Please read, use and cite following reference to support the argument: Sarker, S., Sarker, T., Leta, O. T., Raihan, S. U., Khan, I., & Ahmed, N. (2023). Understanding the Planform Complexity and Morphodynamic Properties of Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh: Protection and Exploitation of Riparian Areas. Water, 15(7), 1384.

[Reply]

Dear Reviewer:

I would like to thank you very much for your careful review and valuable comments on the Methods section of my paper. I apologize for your criticism that the current Methods section is poorly written as well as lacking in professionalism and depth, and will take your suggestions seriously for improvement.

First of all, I will read and study more relevant academic papers in depth to enhance my understanding and mastery of research methods. I will pay particular attention to the research methodology adopted by Sarker et al. (2023) in Understanding the planar complexity and morphodynamic properties of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Bangladesh: conservation and development of riparian areas and try to incorporate the best parts of it into my paper.

Secondly, regarding your suggestion of adding nice and neat flowchart and attaching the formula about entropy weight TOPSIS, I will implement it seriously. Flowchart is an important tool to show the flow of the research methodology, I will use professional drawing software to draw a clear, concise and easy-to-understand flowchart according to the actual situation of the thesis and place it in the appropriate place in the Methods section. At the same time, I will also attach the formula about entropy weight TOPSIS, and provide a detailed explanation and illustration of the calculation process and application scope of the method, so that readers can better understand the application of the method in this study.

In the process of improving the Methods section, I will pay special attention to the following points:

The description of the method should be clear, precise and detailed, avoiding vague and general statements.

The sources and rationale of the methods should be adequate, citing relevant academic literature and theoretical support.

The feasibility and validity of the method should be fully justified and explained to ensure that the reader can trust the findings of the method.

Finally, I would like to thank you again for your review and valuable comments on my paper. I will revise and improve it according to your suggestions as soon as possible and submit it again for your review after the revision is completed. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or need to discuss further.

Reviewer: 7

Abstract: Please change all values in your tables up to 2 decimal places.

[Reply]

Dear reviewer:

Thank you for your careful review of my paper and for noting the precision of the values in the tables. I deeply agree with your suggestion of revising all the values in the table to 2 decimal places and have revised them accordingly.

In academic research, the precision of numerical values is crucial to the accuracy and reliability of data. Therefore, I have carefully checked all the tables in my thesis and adjusted the precision of the numerical values to 2 decimal places uniformly. This modification aimed to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the data and to comply with academic norms and publication requirements.

During the revision process, I double-checked the original data to ensure that the revised values were consistent with the original data and maintained the authenticity and integrity of the data. I also thoroughly checked the revised tables to ensure that their formatting and layout complied with the requirements for academic publication.

Thank you again for your review and valuable comments on my thesis. I will continue to work hard to improve the content of my thesis to ensure the accuracy and reliability of my research. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or need to discuss further.

Reviewer: 8

Abstract: Please explain your results with nice and professional plots (all figures needs revision). You may use Python or Matlab to generate publishable figures. Please review this python toolbox. https://timcera.bitbucket.io/plottoolbox/docs/index.html. Right now plots and the curves are really bad!

[Reply] Dear reviewers:

Thank you for your valuable comments. I have noted the lack of quality of the existing diagrams and will redraw the diagrams using specialized software such as Python or Matlab to ensure that they are both professional and aesthetically pleasing. I will pay special attention to the details of the charts, such as fonts, lines, and colors, in order to clearly present the findings of the study. The revised diagrams will be more in line with academic publishing standards and will be included in the resubmission. Thank you for your patience and guidance.

Part 1of the original text has been deleted:

Replace with the following:

Add research methods section at lines 126-321:

2.2.1 Regional environmental quality assessment

2.2.2 The D-P-S-I-R model

2.2.3 Methodology for assessing environmental quality and drivers

Added data support at the 1272-1279 line:

Added data support at lines 1420-1440:

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In this paper, TOPSIS method and grey correlation analysis are combined to construct a new grey ideal value approximation model, so as to make a more scientific and rational preference decision for the study of the driving factors and spatiotemporal differentiation of ecological environment quality in the Jianghuai River Basin. The thesis mainly has the following problems:

1. Generally speaking, the innovation of the paper is general, and the relevant research methods are widely used.

2. The summary and conclusion lack some data to support the conclusion.

3. Many figures are not clear, and the expression of figures and tables need to be improved.

4. In the discussion section, the analysis of related issues is not deep enough, and most of them are superficial.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer:

Reviewer: 1

Abstract: Generally speaking, the innovation of the paper is general, and the relevant research methods are widely used.

[Reply]Dear reviewers:

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank you for your careful review of the paper and your valuable comments. I have thought deeply and reflected on the general innovative points of the thesis as well as the wide application of the research methodology that you have pointed out.

Regarding the innovative points of the dissertation, I realize that in the current research field, although the research methods and ideas I proposed have certain practical significance, they are indeed insufficient in terms of innovativeness. In my future research, I will endeavor to dig deeper into the problem, combine with the latest progress in the current field, and put forward more innovative research ideas and methods in order to promote the development of the field.

Regarding the wide application of research methods, I agree with you. Indeed, the research methodology I have adopted is widely used in the current field, which reflects the maturity and reliability of the methodology. However, I also realize that relying solely on traditional research methods may not be able to fully reveal the nature and laws of the problem. Therefore, in my future research, I will try to combine a variety of research methods, such as combining quantitative analysis and qualitative research, and interdisciplinary research, in order to explore the problem more comprehensively and improve the depth and breadth of my research.

Thank you again for your review of the thesis and your valuable comments. I will seriously absorb your suggestions, try to improve the deficiencies of the thesis, and make continuous efforts to improve the academic value and innovativeness of the thesis in my future research.

Reviewer: 2

Abstract: The summary and conclusion lack some data to support the conclusion.

[Reply] Dear reviewer:

I would like to thank you very much for your careful review of my paper and for pointing out the lack of data support in the abstract and conclusion sections. In response to your valuable comments, I will make the following revisions and additions.

First, I recognize that providing specific data support in the abstract and conclusion sections is an important means to enhance the persuasiveness and credibility of the paper. Therefore, I will revisit my findings and sift through the experimental data, statistical analyses, and graphs to identify the most representative data to incorporate into the abstract and conclusion sections. These data will be used to directly support my research ideas and give the reader a clearer understanding of the results and implications of the study.

Second, I will take care to properly cite relevant data in the abstract and conclusion sections. By citing specific data sources, values, and results of statistical analyses, I will ensure that readers will be able to accurately understand the source and reliability of the data and deepen their understanding of and trust in the study's conclusions.

In addition, I will consider adding some comparative and explanatory content to the abstract and conclusion sections. By comparing the results with other studies, I can further highlight the uniqueness and value of my study. Also, by explaining the meaning of the data and the reasons behind it, I can help readers better understand the significance of the data and increase their interest and focus on the study.

Finally, I will make sure that the logical relationship between the data and the conclusion is tighter and clearer in the revised abstract and conclusion sections. I will integrate the data and conclusions organically through sound argumentation and reasoning to form a complete and coherent conclusion of the study.

Thank you again for your valuable comments on my thesis. I will take your suggestions seriously and revise and improve my thesis accordingly to ensure that the abstract and conclusion parts are more substantial, accurate and convincing.

Reviewer: 3

Abstract: Many figures are not clear, and the expression of figures and tables need to be improved.

[Reply] Dear reviewer:

First of all, I would like to thank you very much for your detailed review of my thesis and express my sincere appreciation for the unclear figures and the need for improvement in graphical presentation that you have pointed out.

In response to your concerns about unclear figures, I will scrutinize and correct all relevant figures in my thesis. I will ensure that the font, size and formatting of the figures are consistent with the text to improve their clarity and readability. Also, I will pay special attention to the number labels in the charts to ensure that they are accurate and clearly convey the information presented in the charts.

With regards to graphical representation, I am aware of the importance of graphs and charts in a dissertation, as they are able to visualize research findings and data. Therefore, I will examine and improve the charts and graphs in my dissertation in a comprehensive manner. Firstly, I will optimize the layout and design of the graphs to ensure that they are concise and can highlight key information and trends. Secondly, I will ensure that the elements of the charts such as titles, axis labels and legends are clear, accurate and consistent with the content of the charts. In addition, I will pay attention to details such as the chart's color scheme and line thickness to improve its aesthetics and readability.

Reviewer: 4

Abstract: In the discussion section, the analysis of related issues is not deep enough, and most of them are superficial.

[Reply] Dear reviewer:

I sincerely thank you for your careful review of the paper and express my great concern about the lack of in-depth analysis in the discussion section that you have pointed out. Your comments are very important guidance for improving the quality of the paper.

In response to your question about the lack of depth in the analysis of the discussion part, I deeply realize that when analyzing the relevant issues, I have paid too much attention to the surface description and elaboration of the phenomena, but failed to dig deeper into the reasons, mechanisms and impacts behind them. In order to improve this, I will make the following revisions and additions to the discussion section:

First, I will provide a more in-depth analysis of the issues involved in the discussion section. I will combine the existing research literature and theoretical frameworks to provide a more comprehensive and detailed analysis of the nature, causes and influences of the problem. At the same time, I will also introduce new ideas and perspectives to enrich the content and depth of the discussion.

In the discussion, I will set out more clearly the intrinsic connections and interactions among the issues, as well as their impact on the findings and conclusions of the study. This will help readers better understand the whole picture of the problem and the research value of the paper. In addition, I will focus on in-depth analysis in conjunction with the experimental results and data. I will utilize charts, statistics and case studies to provide a more in-depth interpretation and explanation of the experimental results. Through data support and empirical analysis, I will make the discussion section more convincing and credible.

I will carefully read and refer to the relevant literature and materials recommended by you to enrich my discussion and enhance the depth of analysis. Meanwhile, I will also actively seek suggestions and comments from my colleagues and supervisors in order to continuously improve and refine my thesis.

Once again, thank you for reviewing the thesis and providing your valuable comments. I will take your suggestions seriously and try to improve the discussion part of the thesis. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or need further discussion.

Part 1of the original text has been deleted:

Replace with the following:

Add research methods section at lines 126-321:

2.2.1 Regional environmental quality assessment

2.2.2 The D-P-S-I-R model

2.2.3 Methodology for assessing environmental quality and drivers

Added data support at the 1272-1279 line:

Added data support at lines 1420-1440:

Reviewer 5 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The subject of the study was the quality of the ecological environment in the Jianghaui Valley. A densely populated area of great economic and ecosystem importance, constituting an important element of the security of the Chinese state.

Strong human activity threatens this security. The authors made an attempt to regionally assess the state of the environment. The assessment method can form the basis for ecological management, regional planning, management and development of resource use.

Previously used and current methods and tools are described. The principles of operation of the models were explained in detail and in an accessible way and the choice of the TOPSIS method was justified. At the same time, we did not forget to mention the imperfections of the method and the need to verify it. Hence the choice of an additional correlation.

The designated indicators are described in detail. Disproportions and geographical differences within the Jianghaui Valley were indicated. The correlation in time and the impact of various factors on the quality of the ecological environment were compared.

The work presents an innovative approach, departing from the traditional assessment of regional ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of correlations between humans and the environment.

The indicators allowed, among others, to determine the quality of the ecological environment of aggregation areas. This determined the importance and relationship between the state of the ecosystem and selected environmental factors.

This confirms the authors' thesis that the methods used in the work can constitute the basis for action by managers supervising the environment in a given region.

The combination of TOPSIS entropy weighting and gray correlation methods can be used to better understand ecological and quality factors in a given region.

Taking into account the value of the work and its timeliness in relation to current ecosystem needs, I request that it be admitted to further stages of the publishing procedure, without any comments.

I hope that the publication will contribute to further discussion on improving methods of managing the natural environment.

Additional comments:

- the manuscript is prepared in a transparent manner;

- cites the latest state of knowledge;

- methods are thoroughly described and reproducible;

- drawings and tables are prepared in a legible way; present data in an easy-to-interpret manner;

- conclusions are supported by arguments based on the results of the analyzes presented in the manuscript.

- knowledge gap and research goal identified;

- the work fits into the thematic scope of the Special Issue;

Attention:

- although the work concerns a very specific location, it may also be worth taking a closer look at the broader literary context (the authors cite primarily the works of domestic researchers). E.g. A Review of TOPSIS Method for Multi Criteria Optimization in Manufacturing Environment - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-42363-6_84; Supplier selection to support environmental sustainability: the stratified BWM TOPSIS method - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10479-022-04878-y; Estimation of remote sensing based ecological index along the Grand Canal based on PCA-AHP-TOPSIS methodology - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107214

Author Response

Dear reviewers:

I would like to sincerely thank you for your in-depth review of this study and the valuable comments you provided. In response to your suggestion of expanding the scope of literary contextual studies, I deeply agree. In order to explore the issue of ecological and environmental quality assessment in the JAC Basin in a more comprehensive and in-depth manner, I plan to further read and cite the literature provided by you, such as a review of TOPSIS methods for multi-criteria optimization in manufacturing environments, the hierarchical BWM TOPSIS method for supplier selection in support of environmental sustainability, and remote sensing ecological along the Grand Canal based on the PCA-AHP-TOPSIS method for ecological index estimation and other studies. The introduction of these literatures will help enrich the theoretical foundation of this study and enhance the academic value of the study.

Meanwhile, I will continue to devote myself to improving all aspects of this study. In response to the methodological innovativeness and uniqueness of this study as pointed out by you, I will further emphasize the importance of the correlation between human beings and the environment, and explore in depth the specific application of this relationship in the assessment of ecological and environmental quality in the Jianghuai Basin. In addition, I will also carefully consider how to combine the TOPSIS entropy weighting and gray correlation methods to better understand and analyze the ecological and quality factors in a given region.

Once again, I would like to thank you for your careful review of this study and your valuable comments. I will take your suggestions seriously and try to improve this study so that I can more accurately assess the ecological and environmental quality of the JAC Basin and provide strong support for ecological management, regional planning, resource utilization management and development.

Part 1of the original text has been deleted:

Replace with the following:

Add research methods section at lines 126-321:

2.2.1 Regional environmental quality assessment

2.2.2 The D-P-S-I-R model

2.2.3 Methodology for assessing environmental quality and drivers

Added data support at the 1272-1279 line:

Added data support at lines 1420-1440:

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author has revised according to suggestions.

Author Response

Dear editor
Thank you very much for your work. Thank you very much for your recognition of us.

Yours sincerely,

Hong Cai , Xueqing Ma , Pengyu Chen and Yanlong Guo

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript in its review can capture the issues raised by the reviewers and hence may be accepted for publication.

Author Response

Dear editor
Thank you very much for your work. Thank you very much for your recognition of us.

Yours sincerely,

Hong Cai , Xueqing Ma , Pengyu Chen and Yanlong Guo

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Article Menu

Study on Driving Factors and Spatiotemporal Differentiation of Eco-Environmental Quality in Jianghuai River Basin of China

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI