Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Title: The urban environment of urban agglomeration has gotten better over the past 30 years: Case study of the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan area

Manuscript Number: 3032312

 

I have carefully reviewed your manuscript titled "The urban environment of urban agglomeration has gotten better over the past 30 years: Case study of the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan area" and have found several concerns that need to be addressed before the paper can be considered for publication. Secondly, the analysis of the ecological changes lacks a comprehensive discussion of the potential drivers and mechanisms behind the observed trends. The paper briefly mentions population growth and urbanization as factors that may affect the economy and environment, but a more in-depth discussion of the specific factors influencing the ecological environment in the Xia-Zhang-Quan agglomeration is necessary. This would strengthen the credibility and significance of the findings. I believe that a restructuration of the manuscript is needed and some points need to be better addressed. Please, see my detailed comments below.

 

General comments

Comment 1: What’s the main thesis of this study? The title “The urban environment of urban agglomeration has gotten better over the past 30 years: …” is inappropriate which should be improved.

 

Comment 2: Abstract: “Evaluation of ecological change is a measure of…”, here “environment of urban agglomeration changes are…” is better. No quantitative analysis, no explain, no explanation has been given for this phenomenon of RSEI changes during different periods or regions.

 

Comment 3: the results and methods should be re-written, some sections in the paragraphs should be remove to the method section. The result section should be streamlined and redundant parts should be removed, as well as the references should be removed from the results.

 

Comment 4: What are the originality and innovative points of this article? How does it differ from previous studies? Many references are old in this study. The author should conduct this work based on extensive research.

 

Comment 5: How is RSEI graded? How does NPP data calculated by the CASA model in this region?

 

Comment 6: The driving factors of the RSEI changes in the Xia-Zhang-Quan region should be analyzed or discussed, the results are weak and need to be strengthened.

 

 

Other specific comments:

-Keywords: check and revise them.

-Figure 1: check the legend, enhance the quality of the figure.

-Table 1: 1989, 1988?

-the table should not cross the pages.

-L159: check and revise it.

- check and revise the font size of the formula 3.

-L189: check and revise it.

-L205, L208: the number of the formulas is wrong.

-L218, twice “Table 1”.

-L229-230, “From 1989 to 2022, the ecological environmental quality index RSEI of Xiazhang Zhangquan urban agglomeration was 0.5829, 0.5607, 0.5827 and 0.6195”, here the author should limit the dates.

-L232, L236, twice “Figure 1”.

-Figure 3: The calibration accuracy of the y-label needs to be adjusted

-Figure 4: The quality of the figure should be greatly enhanced, it is not clear for the readers.

-Move table 2 to the methods.

-Some formatting errors, there are some spaces behind punctuation.

 

Author Response

Response to Reviewer: We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript. The manuscript has been substantially revised following your comments. The revisions were marked in red font. We also responded point by point to each comment as listed below.

Major recommendations 

Comment #1：What’s the main thesis of this study? The title “The urban environment of urban agglomeration has gotten better over the past 30 years: …” is inappropriate which should be improved.

 Response #1, We improve our title “Spatiotemporal Variation of Ecological Environmental Quality and Its Response to Different Factors in Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration over the past 30 years”.

Comment #2：Abstract: “Evaluation of ecological change is a measure of…”, here “environment of urban agglomeration changes are…” is better. No quantitative analysis, no explain, no explanation has been given for this phenomenon of RSEI changes during different periods or regions.

Response #2,  We improve the “Abstract”.

Quantitative results are presented:The results show that the average RSEI values for 1989, 2000, 2010, and 2022 were 0.5829, 0.5607, 0.5827, and 0.6195, respectively, indicating an initial decline followed by a significant increase, culminating in an overall upward trend. The spatial distribution of RSEI classification shows that the study area has the largest proportion of mainly "good" ecological quality. The proportion of areas with "excellent" ecological quality increased, while those with "general" quality decreased.

Explanation has been given for this phenomenon of RSEI changes during different periods or regions: The factor detector analysis identified land use as the dominant factor influencing ecological quality, with precipitation having a relatively minor impact. Interaction analysis revealed that all other factors demonstrated bi-variable enhance or nonlinear-enhance, suggesting that the interactive effects of these factors are greater than the effects of individual factors alone. Land use consistently showing strong explanatory power. And temperature also exhibited significant influence in 2022 when interacting with other factors.

Comment #3： the results and methods should be re-written, some sections in the paragraphs should be remove to the method section. The result section should be streamlined and redundant parts should be removed, as well as the references should be removed from the results.

 Response #3, We rewrite the results and methods and remove the references. The section “classification of RSEI index and levers of RESI changes “ move to method(2.3.2 and 2.3.3).

Comment #4： What are the originality and innovative points of this article? How does it differ from previous studies? Many references are old in this study. The author should conduct this work based on extensive research.

Response #4,  The originality and innovative points of this article:

• Studying changes in ecological quality in urban agglomerations.
• Non-central urban areas demonstrated better ecological quality compared to central urban areas, which, despite poorer conditions, exhibited signs of improvement.
• Land use consistently showing strong explanatory power. And temperature also exhibited significant influence in 2022 when interacting with other factors.

 It differ from previous studies：While central areas of urban city typically exhibited poorer ecological conditions, there was a trend towards improvement, suggesting that targeted interventions in these densely populated regions are beginning to bear fruit.  

 Many references are old in this study：we have added 15 new paper citations, and removed some old literature.

Comment #5： How is RSEI graded? How does NPP data calculated by the CASA model in this region?

Response #5, RSEI is classified by table3.

 Table 3. levers of RESI changes

Id	Levels	Change of RSEI
1	significantly worse	< -0.1
2	Obviously worse	-0.1~ -0.05
3	slightly worse	-0.05 ~ -0.02
4	no obvious change	-0.02 ~ 0.02
5	slightly better	0.02 ~ 0.05
6	Obviously better	0.05 ~ 0.1
7	significantly better	>0.1

The CASA model uses a light-use efficiency (LUE) approach, where NPP is computed as:

NPP = APAR * ε

ε (LUE) is the efficiency with which plants convert absorbed light into biomass, adjusted for temperature and moisture stress.The model incorporates environmental stress factors to adjust ε, accounting for temperature and water availability constraints on photosynthesis.

Application in the Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration:

Climatic Input: Local temperature and precipitation data are integrated to account for the region’s specific climatic conditions.

Satellite Imagery: High-resolution satellite data, such as from MODIS or Landsat, provide the necessary NDVI/EVI values.

Soil and Vegetation Data: Regional soil characteristics and land cover types are used to refine the model parameters.

By using the CASA model, researchers can generate spatially explicit NPP estimates, providing insights into the productivity and carbon dynamics of the Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration over time. These estimates are crucial for understanding the ecological impacts of urbanization and guiding sustainable land management practices.

Comment #6： The driving factors of the RSEI changes in the Xia-Zhang-Quan region should be analyzed or discussed, the results are weak and need to be strengthened.

Response #6, We add geodetector methods (factor detector and Interaction Detector) in methods (2.3.4)and results(3.4), and discussion sections(4.2).Using the Factor detector, we analyzed the explanatory power of each factor on the spatial heterogeneity of ecological environment quality. We used interaction detector to explore the relationship between the interaction of various factors and the spatial differentiation characteristics of RSEI. 

 Other specific comments:

-Comment #1：Keywords: check and revise them.

Response #1, We revise key words :Remote sensing; Central urban area; Ecological and environmental protection; Geodetector.

-Comment #2：Figure 1: check the legend, enhance the quality of the figure.

Response #2, Figure 1 has been modified,including legend and resolution to enhance the quality of the figure.

-Comment #3：Table 1: 1989, 1988?

 Response #3, Additionally, some remote sensing images from 1989 were missing for the study area, and these gaps were supplemented with images from 1988.

-Comment #4：the table should not cross the pages.

Response #4, we recise the table so that it doesn't cross the page.

-Comment #5：L159: check and revise it.

Response #5, We delete the redundant (1).

- Comment #6：check and revise the font size of the formula 3.

Response #6, we rivise the front size of formula 3.

-Comment #7：L189: check and revise it.

Response #7, we replaced the original formula letters with letters “ρ_blue, ρ_green, ρ_red, ρ_nir, ρ_swir1”. Now it is in L236.

-Comment #8：L205, L208: the number of the formulas is wrong.

Response #8, we remove redundant blank lines.

-Comment #9：L218, twice “Table 1”.

Response #9, We re-verified and changed the coding of the table.

-Comment #10：L229-230, “From 1989 to 2022, the ecological environmental quality index RSEI of Xiazhang Zhangquan urban agglomeration was 0.5829, 0.5607, 0.5827 and 0.6195”, here the author should limit the dates.

Response #10, The sentence is changed to “The ecological environmental quality index RSEI of Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration was 0.5829, 0.5607, 0.5827 and 0.6195 in 1989, 2000, 2010 and 2022,”

-Comment #11：L232, L236, twice “Figure 1”.

Response #11, We re-verified and changed the coding of the figure.

-Comment #12：Figure 3: The calibration accuracy of the y-label needs to be adjusted

Response #12, We revise the figure 3 to display all county districts.

-Comment #13：Figure 4(now it is figure 5): The quality of the figure should be greatly enhanced, it is not clear for the readers.

Response #13, we revise figure 4 to make it clearer and more beautiful

-Comment #14：Move table 2 to the methods.

Response #14,  we move table 2 to method “2.3.3 classification of RSEI index changes”.

-Comment #15：Some formatting errors, there are some spaces behind punctuation.

Response #15, We've modified the format and delete some spaces behind punctuation.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

the Ecological Environment Index (RSEI) should be remote sensing based ecological index (RSEI)

line 27-28 “The overall ecological environmental quality 27 of Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration has been improved in the past 30 years.” which are repeated with the line 20 “with a general upward trend from 1989 to 2022”. So I suggest deleting this sentence. Then, add a sentence to summarize the significance and value of this study.

Line 38, what does “growth ism” mean?

Line 59, the RS and GIS should be spelled out at their first appearance.

Please rephase the sentences (line 65-66).

Line 98, “Xu believes that it cannot visualize the ecological status of a region”, please add a citation.

Line 99, please spell out “RSEI” at its first appearance. Line 104, the same for the “EI”.

In the end of the introduction, please point out the research purposes of this study.

In the introduction section, please add the current research gap, and the innovation of this study.

Line 233, the Xiazhangquan should be “Xia-Zhang-Quan”.

Please check the figure 2. Are all the county-level administrative regions included in the graph.

In terms of figure 4, it is too vague. The letters are not clear at all.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer: We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript. The manuscript has been substantially revised following your comments. The revisions were marked in red font. We also responded point by point to each comment as listed below.

Major recommendations

Comment #1：line 27-28 “The overall ecological environmental quality 27 of Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration has been improved in the past 30 years.” which are repeated with the line 20 “with a general upward trend from 1989 to 2022”. So I suggest deleting this sentence. Then, add a sentence to summarize the significance and value of this study.

Response #1, we delete the sentence “The overall ecological environmental quality of Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration has been improved in the past 30 years. ”

In line 33-35, we add the sentence “Due to urban planning can plan for land use, these findings suggest that effective urban planning can harmonize economic development with ecological protection within the Xia-Zhang-Quan ur-ban agglomeration”.

Comment #2：Line 38, what does “growth ism” mean?

Response #2,  we revise to “growth supremacism”, is a nested system of growthist logic with growth in economic indicators as the first priority, a major push for industrialization as the engine of growth, export-orientation as the main mode of economic growth, and a system set up to extract high profits.

Comment #3：Line 59, the RS and GIS should be spelled out at their first appearance.

Response #3, we add complete spelling-RS(Remote Sensing) and GIS(Geographic Information System) in line 64.

Comment #4：Please rephase the sentences (line 65-66).

Response #4, we rephase the sentences:  Research areas around the world, such as Egypt, Italy, China's Hainan Island, Lian-yungang, Hangzhou, etc., with good results. Now it in line 73-75.

Comment #5：Line 98, “Xu believes that it cannot visualize the ecological status of a region”, please add a citation.

Response #5, we add a citation: Xu, H.Q. A remote sensing index for assessment of regional ecological changes. China Environmental Science 33(5), 889-897 (2013)

Comment #6：Line 99, please spell out “RSEI” at its first appearance. Line 104, the same for the “EI”.

Response #6,Remote sensing Ecological Index(RSEI ) in line 19. We delete the word “ecological index (EI)”.

Comment #7：In the end of the introduction, please point out the research purposes of this study.

Response #7,We add a paragraph in line 146-154:This paper aims to analyze the ecological environment changes in the process of urban development in Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration. The details are as follows: (1) using remote sensing images in 1989, 2000, 2010, 2022, we calculate RSEI to analyze the ecological environment changes in Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration. (2) Analy-sis of changes in ecological quality in central and non-central urban areas. (3) Using the geographical detector method, this study analyzes the factors influencing the spatial heterogeneity of ecological environment quality. These findings are significant as they provide empirical evidence supporting the notion that targeted environmental interven-tions and sustainable urban development practices can lead to measurable ecological benefits.

Comment #8：In the introduction section, please add the current research gap, and the innovation of this study.

Response #8, We add a paragraph in line 126-137: Despite these advancements, several gaps remain in the current research on ecolog-ical environment assessment. One major limitation is the insufficient consideration of socio-economic factors, which are crucial in understanding human-environment interac-tions and their implications for ecological health. Current research mostly focuses on one city and lacks research on the ecological environment change of urban agglomerations. It is now starting the economic development mode of city clusters in China. In this context, it is worth studying whether the economic development of city clusters will affect the ecological environment. In addition, the central city is the center of economic develop-ment, inhabits most of the city, plays an important role in the life of the residents. So the central city is highly influenced by human activities for the longest time. In general, its ecological environment should be declining, and it is worth studying whether its ecolog-ical environment has become better under the urban planning.

Comment #9：Line 233, the Xiazhangquan should be “Xia-Zhang-Quan”.

Response #9, We Substitute “Xia-Zhang-Quan”for “Xiazhangquan” in this paper.

Comment #10：Please check the figure 2. Are all the county-level administrative regions included in the graph.

Response #10, We change in the serial number of the figure. Figure 2 changed to figure 3. We update figure 3 including all county-level administrative regions. 

Comment #11：In terms of figure 4, it is too vague. The letters are not clear at all.

Response #11, We change in the serial number of the figure. Figure 3 changed to figure 4. we update figure 5 to increase the legend font and scale font. We Increased resolution of figure 5 (600dp).

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The urban environment of urban agglomeration has improved in the last 30 years: A case study of the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region.

 

Thank you for this review invitation.

 

Review decision: Resubmit after substantial modification.

 

Strengths:

 

Methodological elements: The text has a strong methodological approach and logical organization.

Relevant Topic: The study examines the critical topic of urban environmental change in the context of urban agglomeration.

 

Weaknesses:

 

Language and Clarity: The book requires considerable language editing and modification to ensure clarity and conciseness. Numerous difficult phrases and grammatical faults impede readability.

Undefined Terms: The word "RS" is used without definition, resulting in misunderstanding.

Formatting Issues: Pages 5, 6, and 7 have inconsistent typefaces, which detract from the manuscript's professional impression.

The discussion section needs considerable updating. Sections 4.1 and 4.2 are better suited to the results section, whilst the section 4.3 belongs in the conclusion. The discussion part should be focused on the findings' significance and consequences for urban agglomeration issue in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region, as well as policy implications.

Lack of Comparison: To offer a larger perspective and emphasize distinctive traits, the authors could provide a more in-depth comparison of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar places.

 

General recommendations:

 

English writing: Hire a competent native English speaker to review and edit the document for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical accuracy.

Clearly define the word "RS" when it first appears in the document.

Formatting: 1) Use consistent typefaces throughout the document, especially pages 5, 6, and 7.

2)Change Discussion: Relocate parts 4.1 and 4.2 to the results section.

3)Move section 4.3 to the end.

4)Rewrite the discussion section to emphasize the significance and implications of the findings for 5)urban agglomeration in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan area.

6)Include a discussion of policy implications for urban agglomeration.

7)Consider doing a comparison examination of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar locations to highlight distinguishing features and give greater context.

 

Additional comments:

 

The title may be more descriptive and informative, better reflecting the manuscript's substance. Consider rewriting it to emphasize the study's primary results or unique target area.

 

This work shows potential, but it requires extensive editing to fulfill the journal's criteria. If the authors resolve the mentioned issues, the work has the potential to be a valuable contribution to the area.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The urban environment of urban agglomeration has improved in the last 30 years: A case study of the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region.

 

Thank you for this review invitation.

 

Review decision: Resubmit after substantial modification.

 

Strengths:

 

Methodological elements: The text has a strong methodological approach and logical organization.

Relevant Topic: The study examines the critical topic of urban environmental change in the context of urban agglomeration.

 

Weaknesses:

 

Language and Clarity: The book requires considerable language editing and modification to ensure clarity and conciseness. Numerous difficult phrases and grammatical faults impede readability.

Undefined Terms: The word "RS" is used without definition, resulting in misunderstanding.

Formatting Issues: Pages 5, 6, and 7 have inconsistent typefaces, which detract from the manuscript's professional impression.

The discussion section needs considerable updating. Sections 4.1 and 4.2 are better suited to the results section, whilst the section 4.3 belongs in the conclusion. The discussion part should be focused on the findings' significance and consequences for urban agglomeration issue in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region, as well as policy implications.

Lack of Comparison: To offer a larger perspective and emphasize distinctive traits, the authors could provide a more in-depth comparison of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar places.

 

General recommendations:

 

English writing: Hire a competent native English speaker to review and edit the document for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical accuracy.

Clearly define the word "RS" when it first appears in the document.

Formatting: 1) Use consistent typefaces throughout the document, especially pages 5, 6, and 7.

2)Change Discussion: Relocate parts 4.1 and 4.2 to the results section.

3)Move section 4.3 to the end.

4)Rewrite the discussion section to emphasize the significance and implications of the findings for 5)urban agglomeration in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan area.

6)Include a discussion of policy implications for urban agglomeration.

7)Consider doing a comparison examination of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar locations to highlight distinguishing features and give greater context.

 

Additional comments:

 

The title may be more descriptive and informative, better reflecting the manuscript's substance. Consider rewriting it to emphasize the study's primary results or unique target area.

 

This work shows potential, but it requires extensive editing to fulfill the journal's criteria. If the authors resolve the mentioned issues, the work has the potential to be a valuable contribution to the area.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer: We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript. The manuscript has been substantially revised following your comments. The revisions were marked in red font. We also responded point by point to each comment as listed below.

 

Weaknesses:

 Comment #1：Language and Clarity: The book requires considerable language editing and modification to ensure clarity and conciseness. Numerous difficult phrases and grammatical faults impede readability.

Response #1, Thanks very much for your comments. We have asked Dr. Li, who’s a well established expert, to polish our paper. Please see if the revised version met the English presentation standard.

Comment #2：Undefined Terms: The word "RS" is used without definition, resulting in misunderstanding.

Response #2,  we add complete spelling-RS(Remote Sensing) in line 64.

Comment #3：Formatting Issues: Pages 5, 6, and 7 have inconsistent typefaces, which detract from the manuscript's professional impression.

Response #3, we Change the formula font, consistent with the text.

Comment #4：The discussion section needs considerable updating. Sections 4.1 and 4.2 are better suited to the results section, whilst the section 4.3 belongs in the conclusion. The discussion part should be focused on the findings' significance and consequences for urban agglomeration issue in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region, as well as policy implications.

Response #4,We remove 4.1 to results. We add” Changes in RSEI”, ” Analysis of driving factors of ecological environment changes in the Xia-Zhang-Quan Urban Agglomeration”, “Planning implications of changes in RSEI”, ” Limitations and future study” in disscussion. The key results are summarized and compared with the relevant literature. We explore correlates affecting spatial heterogeneity of RESI. And we discuss the findings' significance and consequences for urban agglomeration issue in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region, as well as policy implications. Also the limitations and future study of this paper.

Comment #5：Lack of Comparison: To offer a larger perspective and emphasize distinctive traits, the authors could provide a more in-depth comparison of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar places.

Response #5, In discussion, we Comparison with other urban agglomeration: the Pearl River Delta (PRD) is one of China's most economically dynamic regions, characterized by rapid industrialization and urbanization similar to Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration. Both regions have experienced significant ecological changes due to urban expansion. However, while the PRD has seen considerable environmental degradation, Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration has shown an overall improvement in ecological quality, as indicated by the RSEI trends from 1986 to 2019[37]. This contrast underscores the effectiveness of the environmental policies and land use planning implemented in Xia-Zhang-Quan, suggesting that similar strategies could benefit other rapidly urbanizing areas.

 

General recommendations:

 

Comment #1：English writing: Hire a competent native English speaker to review and edit the document for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical accuracy.

Response #1, Thanks very much for your comments. We have asked Dr. Li, who’s a well established expert, to polish our paper. Please see if the revised version met the English presentation standard.

Comment #2：Clearly define the word "RS" when it first appears in the document.

Response #2,  we add complete spelling-RS(Remote Sensing) in line 64.

 

Formatting:

 

Comment #1：Use consistent typefaces throughout the document, especially pages 5, 6, and 7.

Response #1, we Change the formula font, consistent with the text.

Comment #2：Change Discussion: Relocate parts 4.1 and 4.2 to the results section.

Response #2, We remove 4.1 and parts of 4.2 to results. We revise discussion in four parts: Changes in RSEI”, ” Analysis of driving factors of ecological environment changes in the Xia-Zhang-Quan Urban Agglomeration”, “Planning implications of changes in RSEI”, ” Limitations and future study” .we discuss the findings' significance and consequences for urban agglomeration issue in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan region, as well as policy implications.  

Comment #3：Move section 4.3 to the end. 

Response #3, we change the parts” Limitations and future study” .In addition to the limitations, the paper insightfully explores the outlook for future REST development.

Comment #4：Rewrite the discussion section to emphasize the significance and implications of the findings for urban agglomeration in the Xia-Zhang-Quan metropolitan area.

Response #4, we discuss the significance of the results in terms of RESI changes, drivers, and planning.

Comment #5：Include a discussion of policy implications for urban agglomeration.

Response #5, In section “4.3 Planning implications of changes in RSEI”. we discussion policy implications from the perspectives of actual urban planning policies and the impact of land-use factors.

Comment #6：Consider doing a comparison examination of urban agglomeration in Xia-Zhang-Quan with other similar locations to highlight distinguishing features and give greater context.

Response #6, In discussion, we Comparison with other urban agglomeration: the Pearl River Delta (PRD) is one of China's most economically dynamic regions, characterized by rapid industrialization and urbanization similar to Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration. Both regions have experienced significant ecological changes due to urban expansion. However, while the PRD has seen considerable environmental degradation, Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration has shown an overall improvement in ecological quality, as indicated by the RSEI trends from 1986 to 2019[37]. This contrast underscores the effectiveness of the environmental policies and land use planning implemented in Xia-Zhang-Quan, suggesting that similar strategies could benefit other rapidly urbanizing areas.

Additional comments:

 

Comment #1：The title may be more descriptive and informative, better reflecting the manuscript's substance. Consider rewriting it to emphasize the study's primary results or unique target area.

 Response #1, The title is changed to “Spatiotemporal Variation of Ecological Environmental Quality and Its Response to Different Factors in Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration over the past 30 years”.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Title: Spatiotemporal Variation of Ecological Environmental Quality and Its

Response to Different Factors in Xia-Zhang-Quan urban agglomeration over

the past 30 years

Manuscript Number: 3032312

 

I have carefully reviewed the revised manuscript, and this version has been greatly improved. Some points should be clarified and enhanced. Please, see my detailed comments below.

 

General comments

L23-26: -The proportion of areas with "excellent" ecological quality increased, while those with "general" quality decreased. Add the figures to enhanced the words “excellent” and “general”. Over the past three decades, Xiamen experienced “substantial ecological degradation”, Zhangzhou showed “marked improvement”, and Quanzhou exhibited “slight deterioration”. Add the figures to enhanced the words “excellent” and “general”.

 

-The font size of the references “[1] [2]” should follow the journal

 

-Other errors: space, fonts size, alignment, symbols etc.

 

- What is the influence of the different date selection of the Landsat images? I find the dates during April-August in Table 1.

 

-How to deal with the inconsistent spatial resolution of the data used in this study.

 

-L231: check and revise the error.

 

-L245, L251, check and revise the number of the formula.

 

-Table 3: Pay attention to the case of words.

 

-L307, add the number of the formula.

 

-add the four indexes of the RSEI.

 

-L404, The areas of "poor" and "poor", check and revise the error.

 

-Figure 6, and the x-label and y-label.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer: We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript. The manuscript has been substantially revised following your comments. The revisions were marked in red font. We also responded point by point to each comment as listed below.

Major recommendations 

Comment #1：L23-26: -The proportion of areas with "excellent" ecological quality increased, while those with "general" quality decreased. Add the figures to enhanced the words “excellent” and “general”. Over the past three decades, Xiamen experienced “substantial ecological degradation”, Zhangzhou showed “marked improvement”, and Quanzhou exhibited “slight deterioration”. Add the figures to enhanced the words “excellent” and “general”.

 Response #1, We add the figures to enhanced the words “excellent” and “general”. the sentence is changes to “The proportion of areas with "excellent" ecological quality has increased (13.41% in 1989 and 25.12% in 2022), while those with "general" quality has decreased (28.03% in 1989 and 21.21% in 2022). Over the past three decades, Xiamen experienced substantial ecological degradation (RESI change of -0.0897), Zhangzhou showed marked improvement (RESI change of 0.0519), and Quanzhou exhibited slight deterioration (RESI change of is -0.0396). ”in line 23- 27.

Comment #2：The font size of the references “[1] [2]” should follow the journal

 Response #2,The font size of the references “[1] [2]...” is changed follow the journal

Comment #3：Other errors: space, fonts size, alignment, symbols etc.

 Response #3,  We have carefully addressed the issues you mentioned regarding spaces, font size, alignment, symbols, and other formatting errors. The specific changes we made are as follows:

Spaces: We have thoroughly checked and corrected the spacing throughout the manuscript to ensure consistency and adherence to standard formatting guidelines.

Font Size: We have standardized the font size across the entire document to ensure uniformity. But we find that the word insert formula cannot modify the font “Cambria Math” to “Palatino Linotype”.

Alignment: We have reviewed and adjusted the alignment of all paragraphs and figures to ensure a neat and professional layout.

Symbols: We have verified and corrected the use of symbols to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Comment #4：What is the influence of the different date selection of the Landsat images? I find the dates during April-August in Table 1.

Response #4, The prevalence of clouds during this season can affect the remote sensing images.Some remote sensing images in the same month were missing for the study area , and these gaps were supplemented with images from april to august. We discuss the data limitations in 4.4.

-Comment #5：How to deal with the inconsistent spatial resolution of the data used in this study.

 Response #5, Data for these factors were derived from a 1km × 1km grid, using the center point of each grid cell as the data source.

-Comment #6：L231: check and revise the error.

Response #6, The sentense is changes to” ρ_blue, ρ_green, ρ_red, ρ_nir, ρ_swir1 represent the blue band, green band, red band, near-infrared band and mid-infrared band of remote sensing images”.

-Comment #7：L245, L251, check and revise the number of the formula.

 Response #7, We check and revise the number of the formula (14 )and (15).

-Comment #8：Table 3: Pay attention to the case of words.

Response #8, In the table 3, the first letter was capitalized. 

-Comment #9：L307, add the number of the formula.

Response #9,  We add add the number of the formula(16).

-Comment #10：add the four indexes of the RSEI.

 Response #10, We add “Figure 2 The normalized index of the heat, humidity, dryness and greenness in 2022”.

 

Figure 2 The normalized index of the heat, humidity, dryness and greenness in 2022. (a) the heat, (b)dryness, (c) greenness, (d)humidity.

-Comment #11：L404, The areas of "poor" and "poor", check and revise the error.

Response #11, The sentence changes to : The areas of "poor" and "worse,"

Comment #12：-Figure 6, and the x-label and y-label.

Response #12, We add x-lable”Districts” and Y-lable”Change of RSEI” in figure6.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I have no more comments.

Author Response

We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The revision work was well done!

Good job!

Author Response

We deeply thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions to this manuscript.