Dear Authors,

Thank you for your prompt and detailed responses to all the reviews. I find this is an interesting manuscript but the reviewers raise some important points which need to be addressed (better justifying, explaining, and discussing the methodology; and expanding the analyses as suggested). Please submit a revised manuscript which addresses the issues raised by the reviewers. The manuscript will then be sent to the same reviewers for re-review.

I am looking forward to reading your revised manuscript.

Regards,
Louise Slater

Dear Authors,

Thank you for submitting a thoroughly revised manuscript and summary of all the changes made in response to the reviewers’ comments. After a close reading of the revised manuscript, the responses to reviewers, and further replies from two of the reviewers, I find the manuscript has been considerably improved and the three reviews were very well addressed (restructuring, explanation of the concepts, approach and covariates, additional analyses at further stations, etc.).

I am delighted to accept your manuscript for publication (while providing the opportunity for technical corrections if desired, since some final checks have been suggested by Reviewer 1).

I look forward to seeing the final published version.

Sincerely,
Louise Slater