Dear Dr. Howes and co-authors,

I have carefully read your answers to reviewers and Dr. Hanehan. In particular, responses to Dr. Hanehan are quite important. Finally, I judge that your answers are correctly responded to Dr. Hanehan's critics.

I think that experimental approaches in paleoceanography is quite important for evaluation of proxies. In this context, this paper should publish on BG as you have revised. Unfortunnately, many of paleo-peoples try to ignore experimental approaches. It is quite pity.

Experimental works should solve a lot of specific questions of prixies in paleoceanography. On the other hand, experimental works everytime should have checked about artifacts during experimental culture. If you are able to add some comments about this topic, it is fine for the community.

Best wishes,

Hiroshi Kitazato

Dear Dr. howes,

Thank you for revising your manuscript according to reviewers comments and auriences discussion. I judge that the manuscript reaches at matured stage and is no problem to publish on BG.

Congratulations,

Hiroshi Kitazato