Effect of Light Heterogeneity Caused by Photovoltaic Panels on the Plant–Soil–Microbial System in Solar Park
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The impact of PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) on aboveground vegetation is a long-term cumulative result, so it is necessary to determine whether the PAR is an instantaneous value or an average value of long-term detection in this paper.
Lines 58-60: Hypotheses should be falsifiable predictions about how nature works, which by testing, regardless of whether they are falsified or supported, will enhance our deeper understanding.
Line 128: Gephi is a software for visualizing network, rather than calculating correlation.
Lines 136-137: Whether a node is a key species in the network, the BC value is just an index. In fact, the Among module connectivity (Pi) and Within module connectivity (Zi) of the node represent the importance of the node in the network.
Author Response
Point 1: The impact of PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) on aboveground vegetation is a long-term cumulative result, so it is necessary to determine whether the PAR is an instantaneous value or an average value of long-term detection in this paper.
Response 1: Thanks for this good suggestion. PAR is an instantaneous value in this study. We just carried out a comparative analysis of plant and microbial communities between shading and on shading land. Of course the long-term cumulative data is necessary to better clarify some mechanism issues.
Point 2: Hypotheses should be falsifiable predictions about how nature works, which by testing, regardless of whether they are falsified or supported, will enhance our deeper understanding.
Response 2: I agree with reviews suggestion. We revised the hypothesis, as following: “(1) shading of photovoltaic panels changes the structure and diversity of plant communities, and soil nutrition and physical and chemical properties; (2) affects the structure and diversity of microbial communities”.
Point 3: Line 128: Gephi is a software for visualizing network, rather than calculating correlation.
Point 4: Lines 136-137: Whether a node is a key species in the network, the BC value is just an index. In fact, the Among module connectivity (Pi) and Within module connectivity (Zi) of the node represent the importance of the node in the network.
Response 3, 4 : Thanks a lot for this question. We correct the description in 2.6 section.
Reviewer 2 Report
This manuscript is a study of how light heterogeneity caused by installation of photovoltaic panels over certain land affects plant-soil-microbial systems and their interactions. Significant differences in plant and soil microbial communities were revealed. Also, shading appeared to enhance the complexity of microbial communities by strengthening the associations between soil microbes. These were the direct or indirect result of photosynthetically active radiation.
The manuscript is well written, rich in graphics and statistics, and should only require minor revisions prior to publication, as outlined below.
Line 40: cross out "on"
Line 65: was (not "is") - maintain past tense
Fig.1. caption should also describe what is shown in subfigures (c), (d), (e) not just (a) and (b)
Line 80: rephrase to "aboveground parts of the plants" (because plants also have belowground parts, at the very least the root, so there are no aboveground plants per se)
Line 97: "diversity" should come before "of plant community"
Line 153: there are several fused words, with no blank spaces between them
The H index is defined in the paper, but the Chao is not
Data in Table 1 should be presented with the correct number of significant figures (i.e. the last significant figure is the first one with a non-zero value in the standard deviation)
There are several misspellings in Fig. 11: "Pearson", "diversity"
Line 272: space needed before the round bracket
Line 283: space needed before "in"
Line 359: "led" instead of "leads" - maintain past tense for consistency
Line 578: What does the statement "The same as below." mean in this case? Please clarify!
Author Response
Point 1: Line 40: cross out "on"
Point 2: Line 65: was (not "is") - maintain past tense
Response 1,2: Thanks a lot for this suggestions. It has been done according to the prompts
Point 3: Fig.1. caption should also describe what is shown in subfigures (c), (d), (e) not just (a) and (b)
Response 3: Thanks a lot for this suggestions. It has been corrected according to the prompts
Point 4: Line 80: rephrase to "aboveground parts of the plants" (because plants also have belowground parts, at the very least the root, so there are no aboveground plants per se)
Point 5: Line 97: "diversity" should come before "of plant community"
Point 6: Line 153: there are several fused words, with no blank spaces between them
Response 4-6: Thanks a lot for suggestions. They have been corrected according to the prompts
Point 7: The H index is defined in the paper, but the Chao is not
Response 7: Thanks a lots. We defined the H index of plant community. The diversity indexes of microbial communities were calculated in Vegan package in R language.
Point 8: Data in Table 1 should be presented with the correct number of significant figures (i.e. the last significant figure is the first one with a non-zero value in the standard deviation)
Response 8: Thanks a lots. We corrected.
Point 9: There are several misspellings in Fig. 11: "Pearson", "diversity".
Response 9: Thanks a lots. We consider deleting figure 11 and describing the associations in context.
Point 10: Line 272: space needed before the round bracket
Point 11: Line 283: space needed before "in"
Point 12: Line 359: "led" instead of "leads" - maintain past tense for consistency.
Response 10-12: Thanks a lots. They have been corrected according to the prompts
Point 13: Line 578: What does the statement "The same as below." mean in this case? Please clarify!
Response 13: Thanks a lots. We rewrite the last sentence. Fig.2 Comparison of diversity (a) and performance (b) of plant community in S and NS. Significance levels are denoted with *P< 0.05. The same as below for the significant levels.
Reviewer 3 Report
The work is a hot research topic. For PV power plants it is very important to investigate the soil and dust conditions. The following comments are given:
1. In Abstract add some more results to show the significant contribution
2. In Introduction add some review work and show the classification of soil components which effects the output characteristics of PV.
3. Show a figure how soil is creating shading and reduce the PV output power.
Author Response
It has been modified according to your suggestions. The details are in the revised manuscript
