Reply to the comments on Souza et al. (2022) “Recent geomorphological changes in the Paraiba do Sul delta, South America East Coast”

Abstract

Scientific knowledge advances by the discussions on hypotheses, methods, and results, wherein the contradictory plays a positive role developing new theoretical-methodological approaches. In a positive debate to the progress of the science, the agreements and disagreements must only permeate the scientific scope and based on ethics to be away from the conflicts of interest. From this perspective, after knowing the submission titled Comments on Souza et al. (2022) “Recent geomorphological changes in the Paraiba do Sul delta, South America East Coast” to the journal Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment (PPG), which addressed several issues concerning the results published in that article, we wrote this response to clarify the doubts related to the original paper. The comment’s authors focus mainly on da Rocha et al. (2019), a locally published article that did not fully encompass the complexity of processes and geomorphological dynamics related to the delta evolution. Furthermore, it did not present the parameters used in the geochronological analyses in accordance with the international literature. Finally, the discussions presented in the original article contribute to advances in knowledge about the responses of the Paraíba do Sul delta to the Little Ice Age.