https://iris.unipa.it/bitstream/10447/212249/1/1-s2.0-S0048969716301784-.pdf

Effects of soil management techniques on soil water erosion in apricot orchards

The immediate effectiveness of barley straw mulch in reducing soil erodibility and surface runoff generation in Mediterranean vineyards

Soil water erosion on cultivated lands represents a severe threat to soil resources in the world, and especially in Mediterranean areas, due to their topographic, edaphic and climatic conditions. Among the cultivated lands, vineyards deserve a particular attention because, aside representing one of the most important crops in terms of income and employment, they also have proven to be the form of agricultural use that causes one of the highest soil losses. Although the topic of soil water erosion on vineyards has been studied, it still raises uncertainties, due to the high variability of procedures for data acquisition, which consists into different scales of analysis and measurement methods. There is still a great gap in knowledge about the effect of triggering factors on soil water erosion and, so far, an effort to quantify this effect on the Mediterranean viticulture has not been made yet. Therefore, this paper review aims to (i) develop a documented database on splash, sheet and rill erosion rates in Mediterranean vineyards, (ii) identify and, if possible, quantify the effect of triggering factors such as topography, soil properties, rainfall characteristics and soil conservation techniques on soil water erosion, and (iii) provide suggestions for a more sustainable viticulture. Although the large variability of data, some general trends between erosion rates and triggering factors could be found, as long as data were categorized according to the same measurement method. However, no general rule upon which to consider one triggering factor always predominant over the others came out. This paper review supports the importance of monitoring soil water erosion by field measurements to better understand the relationship between the factors. However, protocols should be established for standardizing the procedure of collecting data and reporting results to enable data comparison among different study areas.

Soil water erosion on Mediterranean vineyards: A review

Soil water erosion on Mediterranean vineyards. A review based on published data

Human topographic signatures and derived geomorphic processes across landscapes

Vineyards represent one of the most erosion-prone types of cultivated land. Because of this, cultivation practices are very important in reducing the soil erosion risk in vineyard regions. The aim of this paper was to assess the impact of various management practices on soil loss in vineyards. Effects of tillage, hoeing, rotavating and grass cover were evaluated in small vineyards located in southwestern Slovakia in the Vrable viticultural district. Erosion and deposition rates were estimated using the levelling method. This method is based on an evaluation of variability of the soil surface against vineyard poles measured between the year of pole insertion and the year of measurement. On the basis of the measured data, a WATEM/SEDEM distributed soil erosion model was calibrated, and the total soil loss from the vineyards under different management conditions was estimated. The model shows rather good performance in modelling soil erosion, but at the same time, it shows lower reliability in modelling soil deposition. Downslope tilled vineyards were the most eroded; the erosion in rotavated vineyards is somewhat reduced. The most protective tillage system is hoeing. Considerably lower soil loss was estimated with the use of vegetation cover between vine rows, which is in accordance with agro-environmental schemes supporting use of grass cover as an erosion prevention measure in vineyards. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modelling the effect of vegetation cover and different tillage practices on soil erosion in vineyards: a case study in vráble (slovakia) using watem/sedem

Spulerova J., Dobrovodska M., Lieskovský J., Baca A., Halabuk A., Kohut F., Mojses M., Kenderessy P., Piscova V., Barancok P., Gerhatova K., Krajci J., Boltižiar M.: Inventory and classification of historical structures of agricultural landscape in Slovakia. Ekologia (Bratislava), Vol. 30, No. 2, p. 157–170 , 2011. Historical structures of the agricultural landscape (HSAL) hold a special position among historical landscape structures. The HSAL inventory in Slovakia aimed at countryside mapping entitled “Research and maintaining of biodiversity in historical structures of agricultural landscape of Slovakia”. This was established to provide new knowledge of HSAL distribution and conditions in Slovakia. The HSAL database provides outcomes of field mapping and identification of HSAL and their classification throughout Slovakia. The sum of 626 HSAL polygons was recorded in the field, and a total of 3033 polygons were identified as HSAL based on aerial photos. From a land use viewpoint, 4 classes of HSAL were distinguished under the following classification scheme: (1) Historical structures of the agricultural landscape with dispersed settlement, (2) Historical structures of vineyards’ landscape, (3) Historical structures of arable-land, grasslands and orchards and (4) Historical structures of arable-land and grasslands. The most frequent classes encountered are the Historical structures of arable-land and grasslands, and then the HSAL with dispersed settlement.

Inventory and classification of historical structures of the agricultural landscape in slovakia

Collectivization of agriculture (1950s–1970s) was one of the most important periods in landscape development in Slovakia. Traditionally managed agricultural landscapes, that covered more than half of the Slovak territory, were transformed into large-scale fields and only fragments of traditional agricultural landscapes survived. We mapped the remaining traditional agricultural landscapes using aerial photos and historical maps. We then statistically analyzed the various geographical factors and their influence on the transformation process of traditional and collectivized fields, i.e., slope steepness, soil fertility, distance from settlements and isolation from regional capital cities. The comparison was performed using classification tree analysis. We constructed a set of decision rules that explain why fields were managed traditionally or collectivized. Our findings show that traditional agricultural fields were more likely to persist on steep terrain, less fertile soils, and on locations that were closer to the settlements, but more isolated from the regional capital cities. Steepness played the most important role: small-scale fields located on steep areas were not accessible to heavy machinery and therefore, frequently survived the collectivization. We show that the selected geographical factors are good explanatory variables for the collectivization of arable fields and orchards. For vineyards and grasslands, however, the explanatory power of the selected geographical factors is lower, and we suspect that other factors, not depicted in the analysis play an important role.

/pdf/factors-affecting-the-persistence-of-traditional-3p6io5fioh.pdf

Factors affecting the persistence of traditional agricultural landscapes in Slovakia during the collectivization of agriculture

Traditional agricultural landscapes (TALs) in Slovakia are mosaics of small-scale arable fields and permanent agricultural cultivations resulting from continuous succession over centuries. The objective in this paper is to develop a strategy for the protection and management of TAL in the Liptovska Teplicka cadastral area, which has mountainous arable land and grassland TALs. Driving forces, threats and other trends related to these TALs were identified, based on the valuation of land-use changes, socioeconomic and demographic phenomena and on biodiversity and sociological research. The strategy was oriented towards optimal multi-functional utilization and management of the investigated landscapes.

/pdf/developing-a-strategy-for-the-protection-of-traditional-2u2dno8u05.pdf

Developing a strategy for the protection of traditional agricultural landscapes based on a complex landscape-ecological evaluation (the case of a mountain landscape in Slovakia)

Pavol Kenderessy

Papers

Modelling the effect of vegetation cover and different tillage practices on soil erosion in vineyards: a case study in vráble (slovakia) using watem/sedem

Inventory and classification of historical structures of the agricultural landscape in slovakia

Factors affecting the persistence of traditional agricultural landscapes in Slovakia during the collectivization of agriculture

Developing a strategy for the protection of traditional agricultural landscapes based on a complex landscape-ecological evaluation (the case of a mountain landscape in Slovakia)

Assessment of water retention function as tool to improve integrated watershed management (case study of Poprad river basin, Slovakia)