Both referees considered the manuscript to be of merit, but also raised important concerns regarding the motivation, methods, and presentation of results. With regard to the question concerning the 'W. Schlesinger figures', the Referee is referring to William (Bill) Schlesinger, the author of the book 'Biogeochemistry', considered to be a classic in the US, but which is rarely used in Europe for reasons I have never undestood. The Response was comprehensive and he manuscript has been improved as a result. The manuscript is publishable in Biogeosciences following copy editing; the authors are encouraged to recheck the manuscript for minor spelling and usage Errors before submitting a final version for copyediting.

Sincerely,
Paul C. Stoy