Effects of Agri-Environment Schemes in Terms of the Results for Soil, Water and Soil Organic Matter in Central and Eastern Europe

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

A greater depth in the justification and importance of the topic of study in the introduction is recommended.

Explain more clearly the justification for the methodology used, how the collection of information, results and relevant conclusions for the scientific community is carried out

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The topic of this study is very important and current. The paper represents a very interesting study and has the potential to contribute to enhancing our understanding of the research area of agri-environment policy. The structure of the paper is logical; the methods used are adequate; the text is understandable and easy to read.

Author Response

Dear colleague, Your comments are gratefully appreciated. Many thanks. Although we are fully aware that you expressed contentment with the level of our research, we proceeded to consider all final corrections and suggestions from the Editor-in-Chief and Reviewers and acknowledge that comments have been properly addressed, corrected, and implemented.

Reviewer 3 Report

This paper aims at defining the role of agri-environmental conservation measures in sustainable land systems. Specifically, the authors claim that the study contributes to the existing literature by exploiting three objectives

1.     Defininging soil water aggregate

2.     Reviewing agri-environment schemes (AES) function

3.     Defining how appropriate soils are identified

The work aims at assessing the agri-environment policy as the main tool for sustainability in the context of Central and Eastern Europe.

The study is supported by survey evidence, run in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. It is not clear, though, which kind of data were collected during the survey, as well as the sources of the empirical evidence claimed in the paragraphs.

The paper is well structured, with some minor typos and English improvements needed.

However, I believe it does not reach the objectives claimed in the introduction. It consists of a mere literature review and does not add much to the current debate, but raises the question of focusing on soil water issues in the policy framework, without articulating enough the relevance of the claims.

The methodology is reportedly involving the use of quantitative data from central and eastern Europe to measure the effectiveness of the policies in this context. However, the authors do not explain in detail either the data available, or the techniques used to assess the policy effectiveness. Indeed, the analysis is limited to the listing of policy funding and implemented measures, without really quantifying the effectiveness or even the efficiency of the policies implemented.

In my opinion, the paper is not ready for publication and needs to be improved substantially in its contents.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Given the current version of the article, all the points I previously indicated as serious problems for its publication have been addressed. The modifications improved the consistency of the article and hence the article can be published in its revised form.