Effects of Agricultural Management Practices on the Temporal Variability of Soil Temperature under Different Crop Rotations in Bad Lauchstaedt-Germany

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors

The paper addresses the temperature in different soil layers and with different management regimes. In the context of climate change, a correct understanding of soil temperature is crucial. Hence the subject of your paper can be useful to many scientists. In this regard, I will comment my opinions to improve this paper.

The summary and introduction are very well written. In line 55, is the word "reactions" the appropriate word? Isn't it more suitable to use the word "interaction"?

Materials and method sounds well and complete. In line 124 and 125, Your experimental design is unknown. What was your basis for dividing the main and sub-plots?

In line 134 and 135, there is a typo-issue. The fonts are larger that the others!

Result and discussion are good and complete although it is more of a results than discussion. This section needs a fundamental improvement. Also, in text, you always talk about different month (Line 204, 207, . . .) but in tables and graphs, it is about days! (Figure 1, . . .)

The sentence in line 263, 264 and 265 does not make any sense. How is it that soil requires more energy to warm up but higher  energy required for 
excess soil water evaporation than increasing Ts!?

The conclusion can be improved. The first paragraph is more or less another version of your results.

In all tables, I recommend to align the numbers based on the decimals instead of middle alignment. (Table 1).

In table 4, I would recommend to have one decimals. Reporting temperature in two decimals doesn't make any sense.

In table 6, the significant differences could be shown with * instead of P value. 

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper "Effects of agricultural management practices on the temporal variability of soil temperature under different crop rotation in  Bad Lauchstaedt-Germany” is current and very well structurate.

The authors present a study case realized at research station of the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research in Bad Lauchstaedt, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, regarding the provide insights into changes in Ts induced by tillage practices and fertilization in croplands.

The experimental results obtained by the authors, contribute to the improved understanding of the response of Ts dynamic to managements and may also be used in future solutions to climate changes involving optimizing management practices and also for simulation models to predict carbon, nitrogen and water dynamics.  The results are very well presented in the paper.

 

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for the valuable time and consideration.

Reviewer 3 Report

The manuscript entitled "Effects of agricultural management practices on the temporal variability of soil temperature under different crop rotation in Bad Lauchstaedt-Germany” by Mahboube Jarrah, Sonia Mayel, Uwe Franko and Katrin Kuka. This study was carried out to provide insights into changes in Ts induced by tillage practices and fertilization in croplands. Ts are greatly periodic because of variations in daily and seasonal solar radiation and are modified by soil management practices.. Research is very important and interesting. The problem is very well presented and explained.
Manuscript is potential. Research is very important and interesting. The article is very well prepared.

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for the valuable time and helpful comments that improve the paper. As suggested, we have revised and improved the introduction section.

Reviewer 4 Report

Dear Authors

In my opinion, the paper is well written and contributes to the existing knowledge. The following points may be considered while revising the article. I have provided my comments as follows.

General Comments:

The manuscript by Jarrah et al., deals effects of agricultural management practices on the temporal variability of soil temperature under different crop rotation in Bad Lauchstaedt-Germany.

The introduction: The paper is written with focus on four management systems which were compared for determining management-induced changes in soil temperature at different depths.

It is clear that the paper is written with focus on agricultural management practices, however, to describe N fertilization in association to soil temperature at different depths, the description of water content, texture in soil profile and the first of all number of plants (different crop rotation?) in a square meter is needed.

Results in tables and figures are good described and validated. Tables and figures support the results adequately.

I don’t think that this article contains enough reliable data to evidence the statement made on lines 31-33 and 444-448. Very important information relates to - how many plants were in a square meter, because in the summer, the soil surface was covered with plant canopy, thereby shading soil from solar radiation.

The paper would be significantly improved with the addition of more details about color of soil, ground water level and the number of plants in a square meter.

List of References: referencing should be improved a little - please don't be guided solely by quantity.

Detail Comments in the text.

Best regards

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx