Spatial and Temporal Changes and Influencing Factors of Capital Cities in Five Provinces of the Underdeveloped Regions of Northwest China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the continuous rapid development of the social economy, more and more rural populations have been flocking to cities. China has entered a phase of rapid urbanization and industrialization. Most of the land surrounding cities is high-quality farmland. Exploring the characteristics of urban expansion and analyzing the main factors influencing urban expansion is of great value to urban construction and sustainable development.

This study focuses on the capital cities of five provinces in the underdeveloped northwestern region of China. Using Landsat TM/OLI remote sensing images, DEM, meteorological, and socio-economic data from 1990 to 2020, the Enhanced Normalized Difference Impervious Surface Index (ENDISI) and the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) were employed to extract the impervious surface areas of these cities for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. Based on this data, the study analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics and morphological evolution characteristics of urban expansion by comparing the expansion rates, intensities, compactness, fractal dimensions, as well as the centroid migration trajectories and standard deviation ellipses of the cities across different periods. Additionally, geographic detectors were used to analyze the spatiotemporal influencing factors of urban dynamics in different cities. This study can partially illustrate the urban expansion situation in the provincial capitals of the underdeveloped northwestern regions of China, identify the influencing factors of urban expansion, and provide some reference for healthy urban development.

 

The shortcomings and suggestions of the paper are for reference only:

(1)  The abstract part should further refine the scientific issues. In the research context, if the urban development gap between the eastern and western regions is studied, the research content of this article does not mention the eastern region. If it is aimed at the underdeveloped western regions, what is the background of urban expansion?

(2)  Methods should be mentioned in the abstract. Various methods to analyze the dynamic changes and characteristics of urban expansion are discussed in detail in the following text, but they are mentioned briefly in the abstract. Is it inappropriate?

(3)  The introduction mentioned that the analysis of urban Imperial Surfaces (IS) is crucial. What methods are used in current research to conduct analysis? What is the innovation of this article compared with previous research? In the following article, it is mentioned that the Enhanced Normalized Difference Impervious Surface Index (ENDISI) and the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) are used to extract urban impervious surfaces, and this is the "first use",is it the first time it is applied to cities in the study area of this article or is it the first time it is applied to the field of urban Imperial Surfaces?

(4)  There is a certain degree of subjectivity in the extraction of impact indicators. Which previous research foundations have shown the influence of relevant indicators on urban expansion? At the same time, comparative evaluation among multiple indicators needs to be supplemented.

    (5)The discussion part should be a sublimation of the full text. The current content is more like an analysis of the impact of urban policies on urban expansion that takes into account topographic factors. The author's own views on policies and future suggestions can be added according to local conditions.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

no comment.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study selected underdeveloped provincial capitals in the five northwestern provinces of China as research samples, and analyzed the similarities and differences in the expansion patterns and changing trends of urban impermeable surfaces in the five underdeveloped provincial capitals from 1990 to 2020, as well as the influencing factors. Research can provide scientific basis for the study of the development mechanism and urbanization level of underdeveloped cities in China.

 

1. It is recommended to indicate the location of this research area in China in Figure 1.

2. Please indicate the date of the Landsat TM/OLI data used in this article.

3. In the discussion section, the author explained that the main factors affecting urban expansion include terrain and policies, but in the analysis, there is relatively little emphasis on natural factors. Even during the period from 1990 to 2000, there was no description of the impact of natural factors on urban expansion. There is also relatively little description in the latter two stages.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper contains a fundamental error, that of associating effects as causes. For example, GDP, value-added in industry output, and population growth are effects, not causes. To explain how a city expands, you need to look at basic factors, which is primarily political economy. For example, if investment causes growth, what accounts for the differential rise in investment among the 5 cities, and other cities not in the sample? Is it central government policy, or factors internal to the cities? One way out is to avoid analyzing causes and just analyze the spatial changes and the physical constraints.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Quality of English is acceptable.

Author Response

请参阅附件。

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The text “Spatial and Temporal Changes and Influencing Factors of Capital Cities in Five Provinces of the Underdeveloped Regions of Northwest China” addresses a current, interesting and relevant topic in the context of scientific knowledge and public policies. The proposal suggests a consideration of elements associated with the processes of special compression and temporal acceleration, in a context of various transitions – digital, ecological, towards sustainability – associated with disadvantaged or less developed territorial contexts and the urbanization process.

The text presents an interesting approach, but also some central questions that require greater clarity or deepening, namely:

1. Clarify the objective of the text. The proposal presented in the Introduction (The aim was to reveal the development mechanism and urbanization level of underdeveloped cities in the five provinces of northwestern China and to provide a scientific basis for planning, construction, and continuous renewal of cities in underdeveloped areas) is not very coherent with the abstract and the title of the article, where the issue of urbanization is not evident.

2. The text does not present a section discussing the theoretical rationale that supports the investigation carried out. Despite the depth and relevance of the information and discussion produced, it is essential to guide the investigation, considering the main theoretical concepts and approaches that guide the investigation.

3. The text will benefit greatly from a comparative analysis of other territorial realities, broadening the spectrum of analysis. The reflection and discussion that arise from the analysis of five Chinese provinces should be carried out, although without the same depth, with other examples and territorial contexts, for example in a small section of its own.

4. The discussion and conclusion sections are overly descriptive and repetitive. There must be an effort to systematize information, accompanied by critical analysis and the identification/presentation of recommendations (public policy, future research,...)

The methodological section and the presentation of results are the two most solid and interesting parts of the text, making important contributions to the advancement of knowledge. Once the issues identified above have been resolved, the text will gain greater coherence and scientific interest, largely justifying its publication.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I have no further comments on this manuscript version.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The revision has produced a better and publishable version. Future work should focus on the circuits of capital for regional development, rather than the limited explanatory power of geography.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This new version is more solid and with scientific significance and interest. All the comments and suggestions were considered and introduced in this new version.

The text is suitable for publishing.