A Functional Zoning Method in Rural Landscape Based on High-Resolution Satellite Imagery

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report (Previous Reviewer 1)

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Based on VHR satellite images, this study proposes a method for mapping the functional zones of rural landscapes. The method was validated by applying it to three rural landscapes in China with distinct typical landscape pattern characteristics using China's Gaofen-2 (GF-2) satellite images as the data source. The authors concluded that GF-2 satellite imagery can provide sufficient information for rural landscape zoning, and that constructing landscape contextual features, in conjunction with an object-oriented approach, can successfully quantify landscape heterogeneity and construct geomorphic units of rural regions with various landscape pattern types. Furthermore, by combining the smallest landscape units based on landscape heterogeneity, the transition from homogenous landscape units to rural landscape functional zones can be realised. Finally, the provided method appears capable of mapping functional zones with accuracy and stability in rural locations with varying landscape pattern characteristics. 

It will be interesting to appreciate the enrichment brought by future alternative multiscale segmentation methods. 

The article overall seems well written and worthy of publication. The references are also up-to-date, illustrating the state of the art in research. 

I suggest a re-reading to some inaccuracies: 

- Figure 1: As correctly done for all other figures, figure 1 should also must be mentioned in the main text before being included.

- In Figure 2, similarly to what was requested for the previous submission, in the box of the Landscape indices, please correct 'pattren' with 'pattern'. 

- As requested for the previous submission, it would be desirable for the references, although numerous, to include more recent studies on the subject.

It seems appropriate to add to the references:

- Nie, W.; Yang, F.; Xu, B.; Bao, Z.; Shi, Y.; Liu, B.; Wu, R.; Lin, W. Spatiotemporal Evolution of Landscape Patterns and Their Driving Forces Under Optimal Granularity and the Extent at the County and the Environmental Functional Regional Scales. Front. Ecol. Evol. 2022, 10:954232. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2022.954232

- Shouji Du; Shihong Du; Bo Liu; Xiuyuan Zhang; Zhijia Zheng. Large-scale urban functional zone mapping by integrating remote sensing images and open social data, GIScience & Remote Sensing, 2020, 57(3), 411-430, doi: 10.1080/15481603.2020.1724707

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report (Previous Reviewer 2)

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Authors have resubmitted the manuscript and it is signficantly enhanced with respect to earlier submitted manuscript. however still quality of figures and discussion needs to be improved.

One question which needs to be answered is that why pixel or object based classification of imageries is not sufficient to map functional zones boundaries in rural areas? Why we need a separate technique and complicated steps? 

Line 27: Rather than constructed it should be carried out.

If authors apply the proposed technique on larger region rather than an image of 1000 x 1000 pixels, whether the accuracy will be same ? 

Figures are not readable.  In most of the figures, X axis and Y-axis not visible clearly.

Figure 3: What is denoted by 24 in this figure?

Line 348: What is loess?

Too many Figures. Figure 5,7, 8 and 9 can be merged and Figure 6 and 10 can be merged. Figure 11 and 12 can be merged.

Similarly Table 3 and 5 can be merged and table 4,6 and 7 can be merged in one table. 

Discussions: Section 4.1 to 4.3 is mainly reiterating the methodology so it can be shortened. Discussion should mainly focus on benefits and shortcomings of the proposed methods, and future scope of this study. 

 

  

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report (New Reviewer)

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper presents the rural functional zone which is of interest to standardize the rural landscape. I think this paper is attractive and well written. It has the potential to be accepted. However, authors are suggested to improve this paper in the following aspects.

1. The abstract should be concise. Please present the key information and highlights.

2. Introduction.  Authors should compare the urban functional zone which is developed to standardize the urban morphology and landscape. There are two typical urban functional zones, one is local climate zone, and another is precinct ventilation zone. Please refer:

Local climate zones for urban temperature studies. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 93(12), 1879-1900.

Enhancing urban ventilation performance through the development of precinct ventilation zones: A case study based on the Greater Sydney, Australia. Sustainable Cities and Society, 47, 101472.

3. Introduction, before line 70, authors have not justified the significance of developing rural functional zones. Rural stations are always a comparative area for urban area, where urban heat island is a typical case. Please refer:

Influence of non-urban reference delineation on trend estimate of surface urban heat island intensity: A comparison of seven methods. Remote Sensing of Environment, 296, 113735.

4. Line 71-84, authors have not respected the Landsat, MODIS, ASTER… Why Gaofen?

5. The research gap of existing studies has not been well documented before line 129. Please revise.

6. Line 168, a table should be provided to compare Case A, Case B and Case C.

7. In the method section, authors have not presented the threshold of the landscape indices. Please check precinct ventilation zone, and local climate zone.

8. Around 4.4, authors are suggested to indicate the uncertainty of the results.

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report (New Reviewer)

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I think this paper is now acceptable.

This manuscript is a resubmission of an earlier submission. The following is a list of the peer review reports and author responses from that submission.

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The creation of suitable functional zone boundaries for rural landscapes is critical to the sustainable use of natural resources as well as the flourishing growth of society and the economy. This interesting study integrates remote sensing technology to research mapping the functional zone borders of rural landscapes in order to address the rural landscape management needs of rural regions in the technological era. The authors present a method for automatic mapping of functional zone boundaries based on remote sensing image classification and conducts tests on mapping functional zone boundaries in a rural hamlet in southern China using GF-2 satellite remote sensing data. This study investigates landscape functional zone border mapping in rural regions using remote sensing image classification and landscape indicators, offering a scientific research foundation for rural landscape management and development planning. 

Overall, the article seems well written and worthy of publication. However, it would be desirable for the references, although already numerous, to include more recent studies on the subject.

Asking for more detail in the description of the methods and presentation of the results, I suggest a re-reading to eliminate some inaccuracies. E.g:

- In Figure 2, in the left and centre boxes, please correct 'pattren' with 'pattern'.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Authors have used multi scale segmentation of RS images and landscape indicators to identify rural landscape functional zones. However Introduction is mostly concentrated on problem definition that also in loacal context rather than highlighting reserach gap in global context. Literature review is mainly focused on local conext rather than global context and research gaps. Hence , the tsudy is more suitable for national level publication. 

The method is applied only on one small set of data. Unless and untill it is applied on more number of data sets, the robustness of method can not be tested. 

Global references and research missing. 

There are many sub-meter satellite data sets available globally however one satellite data is highlighted. Why? 

Methodology need clarity on various conceptual aspects? What is the method for multi scale segmentation is used? What are the parameters for segmentation? 

What is the accuracy of final output over RS based classification? Generaly, in rural areas RS based OBIA classification provide good results due to contrast among features epecially with the classification scheme adopted in this method. 

Figure 11 (a) , (b ) and (c) - ???? 

Figure 12 (c)- ?? 

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Language errors at many places: for eg. 

Abstract: was applicated?? 

Line 189: Landscape characteries

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper describes a methodology for mapping rural functional zones.

Authors described clearly their methodology and the paper is easy to follow. Technical design choices are described with enough detail to reproduce the results. There is a detailed descriptions about the parameters selected and the numerical values.

The main weaknesses of this paper are found in the results section:
- No evidence of generalization. The dataset chosen is extremely limited. Only one rural AOI is shown in the results. Therefore, assessment of the proposed method's generalization is impossible. Determine the value of the proposed solution is also very difficult with the limited experimentation. 

- Lack of benchmark. There is no significant results of state-of-the-art or other existing algorithms that could provide a comparison point with the author's solution. The results provided are hard to contextualize and therefore becomes very difficult to determine the scientific merit of the proposed approach. There is limited comparison with human performance as the algorithm results are compared with hand-segmentations.

These fundamental scientific weaknesses, unfortunately, are too critical to recommend this paper for this publication in its current form. I do recommend the authors to devise several experiments that can compare them agains their approach. Also, explore open source datasets that could also be used as proxy data to further show evidence of the value of the proposed approach. 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The quality of English is sufficient to follow the paper and all the descriptions provided by the authors.