PONE-D-24-34190Predicting the Spatial Pattern of Land Use Change and Carbon Storage in Xinjiang: A Markov-FLUS-InVEST Model ApproachPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Xu,

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Sudeshna Bhattacharjya, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Mengting Jin was supported by the Science and Technology Innovation Foundation of the Command Center for Comprehensive Survey of Natural Resources (KC20230015) and the China Geological Survey Project (DD20220962). She played a role in data collection, methodology, and project administration. Quan Xu was supported by the China Geological Survey Project (DD20240740). He played a role in data collection and methodology. 

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Partly

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1:  How the LULC maps for 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020 were generated? Using which classification method and satellite data? The accuracies during calibration and validation phase with confusion matrix should be presented.

What are the input parameters which were modified to generate future land use? What are the sources of those future input parameters? Details required.

What about the neighborhood factors for Natural growth scenario and ecological protection scenario?

Which software were used for future land use and driving force analysis? Please mention that clearly with library or package name.

What do you mean by “geographic detector”? Is it a model? If yes, what is the name of the model? What are the inputs and output of the model?

Abstract

Expand “FLUS-InVEST”. Do not use abbreviations in abstract.

L No. 28: Driving factors include which parameters? Please specify.

Introduction

L No. 77-84: Delete “However, most existing studies have…factors on the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of carbon storage.” As it is a repetition of L No. 69-76.

L No. 90-93: Delete “The results of this study provide scientific… and ecological decision-making.”

Figure 1: Replace ‘KM’ with ‘km’ in the scalebar.

Table 1 Write the source of DEM, rain, temperature, LST, NPP, nighttime light index, soil type, landform type with URL link.

L No. 125: Which interpolation method was used?

Replace “water areas” to “water bodies” throughout the manuscript.

Fig. 2 What do you mean by agrotype? Please maintain uniformity of the factor names throughout the manuscript. In table 1 - nighttime light index is written as Luminous index and landform type is written as geomorphology.

Table 2, 3, 4; Figure 3 and 5: “Arable land” to “Cropland”, “Woodland” to “Forest land”

Please expand the figure caption of figure 3 and 4 to make it self-explanatory.

L No. 279: What do you mean by “high-value carbon storage areas”?

Fig. 6: Please enlarge the figures to make it legible.

Reviewer #2:  The structure of this paper is clear and the methods used are flexible. It begins by analyzing the changes in land use in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020, then simulates and predicts the land use in Xinjiang in 2035 under two scenarios using the FLUS-InVEST Model, and also analyzes the spatial and temporal changes in carbon storage in Xinjiang. Finally, it uses geographic model detectors to analyze the impact of driving factors. But it is recommended that the content be revised prior to publication so as to improve the quality of the article and its accessibility to readers. The main issues are as follows:

1. Are there any incorrect statements in the summary of results? Based on the research findings, the driving factors had the greatest carbon storage explanatory power (q=0.80), "The geographical detector analysis results showed that driving factors had the greatest carbon storage explanatory power (q=0.80)".

2. In the Introduction, can you provide some models in the "among the many evaluation models" section to support your argument?

3. The sections from Introduction 69-76 and 77-84 are repetitive in meaning. Please modify this part and delete the redundant sentences. Also, please appropriately cite relevant literature to support your viewpoint.

4. The scale of the maps in Figure 1. Summary map of the study area and Figure 5. Local details of carbon storage should be "km". Please change it.

5. The DEM legend in Figure 1. Summary map of the study area and Figure 5. Local details of carbon storage does not have units. Is it necessary to specify units for greater precision?

6. Please explain the principle behind the 0 and 1 in Table 2 for different scenario settings.

7. In section 3.1, please explain the difference between "temperature" and "land surface temperature (LST)" in the selected driving factors.

8. How were the driving factors chosen when using the Markov model in this study, and how were the driving factors chosen when building the geographical model detector?

9. Reference 20 has an incorrect citation format.

10. Why is there only a string diagram for land use transfer in Figure 3 for the natural growth scenario, but not for the ecological protection scenario?

11. In "Xinjiang plays a vital role in global carbon storage because of its complex geological structure and mountain chains that include the Altai Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, and Tianshan Mountains", is it a bit stiff and disconnected? Suggest enriching the theoretical framework before introducing the topic.

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Reviewer #1: Yes:  Bappa Das

Reviewer #2: No

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PONE-D-24-34190R1Predicting the spatial pattern of land use change and carbon storage in Xinjiang: A Markov-FLUS-InVEST model approachPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Xu,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. You can see that reviewers have positive comments regarding your manuscript. However, I would like to request you to consider the comment of second reviewer to incorporate minor modifications and submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

Please submit your revised manuscript by within next seven days Apr 04 2025 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at plosone@plos.org . When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

Please include the following items when submitting your revised manuscript:

• A rebuttal letter that responds to each point raised by the academic editor and reviewer(s). You should upload this letter as a separate file labeled 'Response to Reviewers'.
• A marked-up copy of your manuscript that highlights changes made to the original version. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Revised Manuscript with Track Changes'.
• An unmarked version of your revised paper without tracked changes. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Manuscript'.

If you would like to make changes to your financial disclosure, please include your updated statement in your cover letter. Guidelines for resubmitting your figure files are available below the reviewer comments at the end of this letter.

If applicable, we recommend that you deposit your laboratory protocols in protocols.io to enhance the reproducibility of your results. Protocols.io assigns your protocol its own identifier (DOI) so that it can be cited independently in the future. For instructions see: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/submission-guidelines#loc-laboratory-protocols . Additionally, PLOS ONE offers an option for publishing peer-reviewed Lab Protocol articles, which describe protocols hosted on protocols.io. Read more information on sharing protocols at https://plos.org/protocols?utm_medium=editorial-email&utm_source=authorletters&utm_campaign=protocols .

We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Sudeshna Bhattacharjya, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Journal Requirements:

Please review your reference list to ensure that it is complete and correct. If you have cited papers that have been retracted, please include the rationale for doing so in the manuscript text, or remove these references and replace them with relevant current references. Any changes to the reference list should be mentioned in the rebuttal letter that accompanies your revised manuscript. If you need to cite a retracted article, indicate the article’s retracted status in the References list and also include a citation and full reference for the retraction notice.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: The authors have responded to all my questions satisfactorily. The revised version may be accepted for publication.

Reviewer #2: The author has earnestly considered and meticulously revised the manuscript in response to the reviewers' comments. After examination, I am fundamentally satisfied with the revisions made by the author in the article. Through the revisions, the quality of the article has also enhanced. Nevertheless, it is proposed that the author could appropriately depict the characteristics of spatial distribution and incorporate regional variations in the analysis, rather than merely focusing on the description of land types.

Finally, it is recommended to accept the article for publication, but the author is requested to carry out the final polishing based on the above remaining issues. I believe that after these adjustments, the article will be more consummate.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy .

Reviewer #1: Yes:  Bappa Das

Reviewer #2: No

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[NOTE: If reviewer comments were submitted as an attachment file, they will be attached to this email and accessible via the submission site. Please log into your account, locate the manuscript record, and check for the action link "View Attachments". If this link does not appear, there are no attachment files.]

While revising your submission, please upload your figure files to the Preflight Analysis and Conversion Engine (PACE) digital diagnostic tool, https://pacev2.apexcovantage.com/ . PACE helps ensure that figures meet PLOS requirements. To use PACE, you must first register as a user. Registration is free. Then, login and navigate to the UPLOAD tab, where you will find detailed instructions on how to use the tool. If you encounter any issues or have any questions when using PACE, please email PLOS at figures@plos.org . Please note that Supporting Information files do not need this step.

Predicting the spatial pattern of land use change and carbon storage in Xinjiang: A Markov-FLUS-InVEST model approach

PONE-D-24-34190R2

Dear Dr. Xu,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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If your institution or institutions have a press office, please notify them about your upcoming paper to help maximize its impact. If they’ll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team as soon as possible -- no later than 48 hours after receiving the formal acceptance. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information, please contact onepress@plos.org.

Kind regards,

Sudeshna Bhattacharjya, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #2: I have carefully reviewed the revised manuscript submitted to the Journal. I would like to express my appreciation to the authors for their thorough and detailed responses to the review comments.

The authors have addressed all the comments I raised. Each point has been carefully considered, and corresponding modifications have been made to the manuscript.

Overall, the revisions have greatly improved the quality of the manuscript. I recommend that it be accepted for publication.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy .

Reviewer #2: No

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