Effects of Graphene on Soil Water-Retention Curve, van Genuchten Parameters, and Soil Pore Size Distribution—A Comparison with Traditional Soil Conditioners

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

General comments:

-          The idea is good but needs some improvements.

Detailed comments.

1.     Abstract must include some soil conditioner characteristics.

2.     The conclusions should be specific, direct, and precise.

3.     There is not any need for references in the conclusions.

4.     How this paper is in the scope of the Journal of Water while it seems more suitable for the Journal of Minerals?

 

5.     Why no paper from the Journal of water has been cited?

Author Response

Reviewer 1

The idea is good but needs some improvements.

Thank you for your positive feedback.

 

Detailed comments.

 

1. Abstract must include some soil conditioner characteristics.

Thank you for your comment, we have added improvers’ dry bulk density values in the abstract.

2. The conclusions should be specific, direct, and precise.

Thank you for your advice, we have made it.

 

3. There is not any need for references in the conclusions.

Thank you for your advice we have removed them.

4. How this paper is in the scope of the Journal of Water while it seems more suitable for the Journal of Minerals?

We have chosen Water because in the scope of the Journal, in Hydrology and Hydraulics topics one of this is “soil water” and its potential movements in the unsaturated zone. Moreover, we submitted this manuscript in the “Soil and Water” section. Because of the study is focused about the effect of this improver on soil water retention curve as well as soil properties changes, we believe that Water is appropriate for this kind of research. However, we will follow the indication of the Handling Editor on this matter.

 

5. Why no paper from the Journal of water has been cited?

Thank you for your comment, we have added some references from Water in the introduction part. Specifically reference number 32 and 34.

Reviewer 2 Report

In this research, The authors are studying the Effects of graphene on soil water retention curve, van Genuchten parameters, and soil pore size distribution. A comparison with traditional soil conditioners. he aim of this study is to investigate the changes of soil physical-hydraulic properties in three different soils amended with traditional soil conditioners (Compost, Biochar, and natural Zeolites) versus Graphene. However, there were still some shortcomings:

1. In the abstract, the conclusion needs quantitative description, not simply big or small.

2. Keywords should not be the repetitions of the title words, please find such words which are not in the title, this way search engines of the web will find your manuscript with higher probability.

3. How to ensure the mixing uniformity of each soil sample

4. What are the similarities and differences between the conclusions of this study and the conclusions of previous studies, please add in the discussion section.

5. The conclusion part should be the result, there should be no discussion, and it is suggested to amend it.

Author Response

Reviewer 2

In this research, The authors are studying the Effects of graphene on soil water retention curve, van Genuchten parameters, and soil pore size distribution. A comparison with traditional soil conditioners. he aim of this study is to investigate the changes of soil physical-hydraulic properties in three different soils amended with traditional soil conditioners (Compost, Biochar, and natural Zeolites) versus Graphene. However, there were still some shortcomings:

 

1. In the abstract, the conclusion needs quantitative description, not simply big or small.

 Thank you for your comment, we have added some quantitative results in the abstract.

 

2. Keywords should not be the repetitions of the title words, please find such words which are not in the title, this way search engines of the web will find your manuscript with higher probability.

Thank you for your comment, we agree with it so we have rearranged the keywords.

 

2. How to ensure the mixing uniformity of each soil sample.

Thank you for your feedback. To ensure the mixing uniformity we have left the samples undisturbed and susceptible to natural wetting-drying cycles. By the way we have done this clarification in the materials and methods section.

 

3. What are the similarities and differences between the conclusions of this study and the conclusions of previous studies, please add in the discussion section.

Thank you for your comment, we have done this clarification in the beginning of the discussion section:"Although graphene has been compared to traditional soil improvers in previous studies [23-25; 31], in this study, for the first time, changes on soil physical characteristics were evaluated after graphene was applied to the soil. The previous studies were more focused on nutrient leaching and solute transportation without considering the effects on soil porosity, water retention curve and soil bulk density."

 

 

5. The conclusion part should be the result, there should be no discussion, and it is suggested to amend it.

Thank you for your advice, we have made the conclusion section more direct and concise.

 

Reviewer 3 Report

Dear Authors, 

I believe the topic of the manuscript is very interesting and useful as for soil scientists with experience in soil hydrophysics as for applied agroecological investigations in soil conservation and amelioration, including assessment and developing the best available agrotechnologies. The set of applied modern and traditional research methods is convenient, and obtained results will be interesting to wide auditorium of researches, practitioners and students.

At the same time, the quality of figures 2, 3 and 4 with too small script is not the best for their analysis, and could be improved.

I would like to recommend your manuscript to publish after minor scientific-technical editing.

Author Response

Reviewer 3

Dear Authors,

 

I believe the topic of the manuscript is very interesting and useful as for soil scientists with experience in soil hydrophysics as for applied agroecological investigations in soil conservation and amelioration, including assessment and developing the best available agrotechnologies. The set of applied modern and traditional research methods is convenient, and obtained results will be interesting to wide auditorium of researches, practitioners and students.

We would like to thank the Reviewer for the very positive feedback.

 

At the same time, the quality of figures 2, 3 and 4 with too small script is not the best for their analysis, and could be improved.

Thank you for your comment, we have made the possible to improve the figures. We have increased the font of the legend entries, the axis titles and the axis labels for all the figures mentioned. Unfortunately, we couldn’t increase the graphs size because was impossible to fix all them in one figure.

 

 

I would like to recommend your manuscript to publish after minor scientific-technical editing.