Organisers: Jesús Rodrigo Comino1,2; Serge Delrot3; Gregory V. Jones4; Stefanos Koundouras5; Agata Novara6
(1) Instituto de Geomorfología y Suelos, Department of Geograpy, University of Málaga, 29071, Málaga, Spain.
(2) Physical Geography, Trier University, 54286 Trier, Germany. Mail: rodrigo-comino@uma.es; geo.jrc@gmail.com
(3) UMR Ecophysiology and Grape Functional Genomics, Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin, University of Bordeaux, Villenave d’Ornon, France. serge.delrot@inra.fr
(4) Environmental Science and Policy, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, 97520, USA. Mail: gjones@sou.edu
(5) Laboratory of Viticulture, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24,Thessaloniki, Greece. Mail: skoundou@agro.auth.gr
(6) Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Via le delle Scienze, Building 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy, Mail: agata.novara@unipa.it
Abstract
It is common knowledge that the quality of the grape harvest is a major factor in the quality of the final product. Scientists, farmers and wine enterprisers each have their own perceptions about how to manage the vineyards in order to optimise the quality. Against the background of a changing climate, land management plays an integral role in the production and quality which can fetch high economic returns. However, when managed properly, vineyards can also provide other environmental benefits aimed at reducing carbon emissions and enhancing biodiversity in the landscape. Governments are noticing this and acting to stimulate environmentally conscious land stewardship.
While this is positive news for society as a whole, the challenges faced by land managers are great; vineyard soils are well known for having high erosion rates as well as being biologically degraded due to the accumulation of soil pollutants and contaminants. The situation on the field level is further complicated by heterogeneity in the state of soils due to landscape complexity and affects of microclimates. Given the scale and complexity associated with vineyard pedological and biological restorations, the quest to find new and effective management strategies has become an indispensible task.
Thus, we propose a constructive interdisciplinary scientific session, which allows improving the fate of the terroir throughout the scientific knowledge and the traditional farmer’s management. Biophysical and socioeconomic and perceptions on based research are very welcome. Holistic approaches to the terroir functioning will be also welcome.