Interactive comment on “ Soil profile connectivity can impact microbial substrate use , affecting how soil CO 2 effluxes are controlled by temperature ” by

General comments The authors describe two soil incubation experiments, (1) of individual sub-horizons of boreal forest organic layers and (2) of entire organic layer profiles with their natural sequence from less to more degraded organic matter. Based on a comparison of these two treatments in two forest sites of different climate and at two incubation temperatures, the authors draw conclusions on the impact of exchange processes between shallower and deeper parts of the organic layer on carbon and nitrogen cycling, in particular soil respiration. I find the study interesting and relevant and I agree with the authors that soil connectivity might have a strong (and understudied) effect on biogeochemical processes especially in the deeper soil. However, I have to admit that I cannot follow the argument in the discussion; this includes both difficulties