Soil and Water Conservation in Rainfed Vineyards with Common Sainfoin and Spontaneous Vegetation under Different Ground Conditions

Nahed Ben-Salem,Manuel López-Vicente,Sara Álvarez

doi:10.3390/w10081058

Abstract

Soil erosion seriously affects vineyards. In this study, the influence of two vegetation covers on topsoil moisture and the effect of different physiographic conditions on runoff and sediment yields were evaluated in a rainfed vineyard formed by four fields (NE Spain) during 15 months. One field had spontaneous vegetation in the inter-row areas, and three fields had a cover crop of common sainfoin. Moisture conditions were dry and stable in the vineyards’ rows, wet and very variable in the inter-row areas and wet and very stable in the corridors. Topsoil moisture in the areas with common sainfoin was much higher than in the rows (62–70%), whereas this difference was lower with spontaneous vegetation (40%). Two runoff and sediment traps (STs) were installed in two ephemeral gullies, and 26 time-integrated surveys (TIS) were done. The mean runoff yields were 9.8 and 13.5 L TIS−1 in ST2 and ST3. Rainfall depth (12 mm) and erosivity (5.2 MJ mm ha−1 h−1) thresholds for runoff initiation were assessed. The mean turbidity was 333 (ST2) and 19 (ST3) g L−1. Changes in the canopy covers (grapevines and vegetation covers), topography and rainfall parameters explained the runoff and sediment dynamics.

Highlights

Vineyards are amongst the most important fruit crops in the world, covering 7.5 million ha and producing 75.8 million of tons of grapes and 267 million hL of wine [1]
Dry conditions favored higher relative differences of topsoil water content (TSWC) along the vineyards, while more homogeneous spatial patterns appeared during the wet surveys
Compartments, the moistest conditions appeared in the inter-rows and corridors, with the presence of vegetation covers, whereas drier conditions appeared in the rows that had bare soil conditions

Summary

Introduction

Vineyards are amongst the most important fruit crops in the world, covering 7.5 million ha and producing 75.8 million of tons of grapes and 267 million hL of wine [1]. In spite of its economical pertinence, long-term vineyard sustainability may be threatened due to land degradation and/or mismanagement, linked with runoff, soil and nutrient losses, which complicate the suitable crop growth and yield [3,4]. Vineyards and orchards are part of the most exposed agricultural systems deteriorated by soil erosion processes [5], which generate higher runoff rates and sediment losses in Europe than arable land, scrubland, grassland and forest. Bare soils had higher soil erosion rates These differences are especially marked in the landscapes of the Mediterranean Basin [6,7].

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Conclusion