Analyzing Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Influencing Mechanisms of Landscape Changes in the Context of Comprehensive Urban Expansion Using Remote Sensing
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear authors,
I have gone through the manuscript Analyzing Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Influencing Mechanisms of Landscape Changes in the Context of Urban Expansion Using Remote Sensing. The author has done good work but still this manuscript needs little attention of the author.
1- It is recommended to fully spell out the in the first use of the term in a manuscript and write it correctly. Once the abbreviation has been introduced, it is appropriate to use it throughout the rest of the manuscript. So, readers will better understand the meaning of the abbreviation and its relevance to the topic at hand. For example vegetation coverage (VS), artificial land coverage (AS), slope (SLP), total population (POP), and gross national product (GDP) as the principal influencing factors, etc.… please revise all abbreviations.
2- Line 20, Line 365, total population (POP) please spell out the in the first use of the term in a manuscript and write it correctly.
3- Introduction section: The introduction needs to be supported by recent literature review that used remote sensing data to estimate urban expansion and its driving factors. The role of remote sensing in this paper should be represented in the introduction section. Please add some specific literature. I think the authors could read them and cite these. please see
· Samra R.M. (2023). Investigating and mapping day-night urban heat island and its driving factors using Sentinel/MODIS data and Google Earth Engine. Case study: Greater Cairo, Egypt. Urban Climate, 52, 101729.
Yu D & Fang C (2023) Urban remote sensing with spatial big data: A review and renewed perspective of urban studies in recent decades. Remote Sensing 15(5):1307.
Nistor C, Vîrghileanu M, Cârlan I, Mihai B-A, Toma L, & Olariu B (2021) Remote sensing-based analysis of urban landscape change in the city of bucharest, romania. Remote Sensing 13(12):2323.
4- Please add further information about the meteorological conditions in the study area section
5- Please add the implication of the findings for future research
6- This write-up should address the current limitations in this field of study.
7- What is the software used in this study?
8- Please clarify the gap in this study.
9- Figure 1 should be enhanced. Please enhance the resolution and text. Also, add a grid to the figure.
10- Please add in methods section sources and methods of estimation of the number of patches (NP), patch density (PD), largest patch index (LPI), fractal dimension (PAFRAC), contagion index (CONTAG), aggregation index (AI), splitting index (SPLIT), patch cohesion index (CONHESION), Shannon's diversity index 271 (SHDI), and Shannon's evenness index (SHEI).
11- Please enhance and increase the size of the text in all figures.
12- I suggest moving lines 406-410 to the methods section.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. The study developed a unified comprehensive landscape index (CLI) based on the total number of patches, patch density, aggregation index, separation index, and landscape diversity index, including the number of patches (NP), patch density (PD), largest patch index (LPI), perim-269 eter-area fractal dimension (PAFRAC), contagion index (CONTAG), aggregation index (AI), 270 splitting index (SPLIT), patch cohesion index (CONHESION), Shannon's diversity index 271 (SHDI), and Shannon's evenness index (SHEI). The prevailing research predominantly focused on the sequential analysis of individual characteristics before qualitatively integrating these observations to depict the overall land scape. The relationship between CLI and other 5 kinds of landscape index or the computation of CLI should be describe in detail.
2. The resolution of the influencing factors, vegetation coverage (VS), artificial land coverage (AS), slope (SLP) was 500, 30, 30 correspondingly listed in Table1. How to unified, the scale problem was not expressed clearly.
3. The references should be modified one by one into the format required.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageFine.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis study assessed the spatio-temporal changes in the Minnesota State and their driving forces based on a landscape index named Comprehensive Landscape Index (CLI) over the last two decades. The authors found a substantial increase in landscape fragmentation and diversity and a decrease in landscape connectivity. The CLI presented highest sensitivity to population and Gross Domestic Product factors. The interplay between socio-economic activities and vegetation coverage is shaping the Minnesota´s landscape patterns.
1. I found this paper not so easy to ready because the authors do not show the spatial and temporal distribution of main primary data sets (vegetation, artificial surface, population, and gross domestic production) in the paper over the selected period (1998-2018). Thus, readers are forced to believe in what is shown in the statistical results, without having chances to make their own interpretation. I suggest showing maps of these primary data sets at the beginning of the Results section.
2. A flowchart including the main steps of methodology would be very useful. The primary data have enormous differences in spatial resolution (30 m and 500 m). I believe the population and GDP data are county-based. The authors need to provide details of how these data were resampled to a single mapping unit.
3. Please, identify the meaning of short names in all tables and figures of the manuscript.
4. L281-289: A figure showing the PCA biplot (X-axis = PC1; Y-axis = PC2) with the directions and strengths (vectors) of each variable will be very helpful here.
5. 2011 as the year of significant alteration in Minnesota's comprehensive landscape index should be stated in the Abstract.
6. The authors state that urban expansion is the main driver of landscape change everywhere in the manuscript, even in the title. However, the magnitude of expansion of urban area in the 1998-2018 period is never shown in the manuscript so that the readers are not convinced that this is indeed true. Besides, in L444-447, in the hierarchy of influence on the comprehensive landscape index, artificial land coverage presents the lowest score of CLI.
7. I do not understand why the authors include slope in the list of CLI factors, together with vegetation coverage, total population, GDP, and artificial land coverage, since slope is unchangeable over the 20-year period of this study.
8. In L478-479, authors state that “regions characterized by high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) generally experience more extensive land development and a higher degree of urbanization”. I believe that is not always true so that this statement needs to be proved by comparing GDP and population data over the time.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageModerate English editing is demanded.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsIt is suggested that before publication, carefully consider the following questions and make modifications accordingly.
1. What do the empty brackets in lines 58 and 59 of the article represent, and please explain or add to them.
2. The text in the overview map of the study area in figure 1 is small and blurred, and it is recommended that it be adjusted and enlarged.
3. The independent variables in the research methodology should be italicized, and the authors are advised to revise this.
4. Figure 4 is blurry and difficult to read, the font is too small, it is recommended that it be enlarged and adjusted.
5. The authors mention that the study period is 1998-2018, why were only five years selected for analysis when analyzing the spatial clustering characteristics of the composite landscape index? What is the basis for doing so?
6. Figure 5 is not standardized in terms of mapping and lacks a compass and scale, and it is recommended that it be supplemented and amended.
7. More background information and data support are needed. For example, "The accelerated proliferation of artificial land surfaces has precipitated a marked reduction and degradation of Minnesota 's grass lands and forests," Specific data or research can be provided to support this idea.
8. The concluding part of the last paragraph, "the interaction between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Vegetation Status (VS) possesses a markedly higher explanatory power (0.66) than either factor individually," can further explain how this interaction affects landscape patterns.
9. The introduction mentions that multiple studies have looked at the relationship between urban sprawl and changing landscape patterns but does not provide the specific findings or methodology of these studies. It is recommended that this information be added to enhance the depth of the literature review.
10. Are there any recent studies that support the arguments of the article? It is recommended that literature citations be updated and expanded, especially for studies related to the Composite Landscape Index (CLI).
11. There are many formatting problems in the article, such as confusing line numbers, etc., so please revise and adjust this.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageIt is suggested that before publication, carefully consider the following questions and make modifications accordingly.
1. What do the empty brackets in lines 58 and 59 of the article represent, and please explain or add to them.
2. The text in the overview map of the study area in figure 1 is small and blurred, and it is recommended that it be adjusted and enlarged.
3. The independent variables in the research methodology should be italicized, and the authors are advised to revise this.
4. Figure 4 is blurry and difficult to read, the font is too small, it is recommended that it be enlarged and adjusted.
5. The authors mention that the study period is 1998-2018, why were only five years selected for analysis when analyzing the spatial clustering characteristics of the composite landscape index? What is the basis for doing so?
6. Figure 5 is not standardized in terms of mapping and lacks a compass and scale, and it is recommended that it be supplemented and amended.
7. More background information and data support are needed. For example, "The accelerated proliferation of artificial land surfaces has precipitated a marked reduction and degradation of Minnesota 's grass lands and forests," Specific data or research can be provided to support this idea.
8. The concluding part of the last paragraph, "the interaction between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Vegetation Status (VS) possesses a markedly higher explanatory power (0.66) than either factor individually," can further explain how this interaction affects landscape patterns.
9. The introduction mentions that multiple studies have looked at the relationship between urban sprawl and changing landscape patterns but does not provide the specific findings or methodology of these studies. It is recommended that this information be added to enhance the depth of the literature review.
10. Are there any recent studies that support the arguments of the article? It is recommended that literature citations be updated and expanded, especially for studies related to the Composite Landscape Index (CLI).
11. There are many formatting problems in the article, such as confusing line numbers, etc., so please revise and adjust this.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe author carefully revised each proposed revision suggestion.No more comments, it is recommended that this article be published in the Journal of Remote sensing.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageThe author carefully revised each proposed revision suggestion.No more comments, it is recommended that this article be published in the Journal of Remote sensing.
