A pore-size classification for peat bogs derived from unsaturated hydraulic properties

Weber, Tobias Karl David; Iden, Sascha Christian; Durner, Wolfgang

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6185-2017

Articles | Volume 21, issue 12

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6185-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6185-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 21, issue 12

Research article

|

07 Dec 2017

Research article |

| 07 Dec 2017

A pore-size classification for peat bogs derived from unsaturated hydraulic properties

Tobias Karl David Weber, Sascha Christian Iden, and Wolfgang Durner

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Final revised paper (published on 07 Dec 2017)
Supplement to the final revised paper
Preprint (discussion started on 31 May 2017)
Supplement to the preprint

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'Evaluation by Andy Baird', Andrew Baird, 24 Jul 2017
- AC1: 'Reply to 'Evaluation by A. Baird'', Tobias KD Weber, 10 Oct 2017
RC2: 'Review', Donald Siegel, 13 Sep 2017
- AC2: 'Reply to Review by Daniel Siegel', Tobias KD Weber, 10 Oct 2017

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by Editor and Referees) (16 Oct 2017) by Brian Berkowitz

AR by Tobias Karl David Weber on behalf of the Authors (17 Oct 2017) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (26 Oct 2017) by Brian Berkowitz

RR by Donald Siegel (14 Nov 2017)

Suggestions for revision or reasons for rejection

The authors have modified and caveated the paper well I think and now it has become a GOOD to EXELLENT contribution suitable for publication. A few corrections:

25 improve the overall description, even if they do not represent two distinct pore systems with different characteristic pore sizes. This was also discussed for the bimodal van Genuchten model by Zurmühl and Durner (1998) and for organic soils by Weber et al. (2017a). Without contradiction to the presented model, we point out that preferential flow may be an important driver for saturated flow on the very large SCALE???.

And I’m Donald Siegel and not Daniel Siegel in the acknowledgments. ☺

1) Scientific Significance
Does the manuscript represent a substantial contribution to scientific progress within the scope of this journal (substantial new concepts, ideas, methods, or data)?

GOOD TO EXCELLENT I think their work is novel enough and the results interesting enough to be published. I still wonder if the scale that they do the experiments on is sufficient to capture the nature of peatland hydraulics. For example, we have found substantive recharge of surface water through 2-3 meters of peat, sphagnum to fen, in an entire peatland over a period of a decade or so. So even though one can see decomposition at a small scale, clearly there are dual porosity issues a large scale. But at the small scale, their work hold up.

2) Scientific Quality
Are the scientific approach and applied methods valid? Are the results discussed in an appropriate and balanced way (consideration of related work, including appropriate references)?

GOOD TO EXCELLENT

3) Presentation Quality
Are the scientific results and conclusions presented in a clear, concise, and well structured way (number and quality of figures/tables, appropriate use of English language)?

Excellent

For final publication, the manuscript should be
accepted as is with the few mistakes I found caught.

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ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (16 Nov 2017) by Brian Berkowitz

AR by Tobias Karl David Weber on behalf of the Authors (17 Nov 2017) Author's response Manuscript