Daniela Popescu

Effects of vegetation management intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in vineyards: A meta‐analysis

Abstract At the global scale, vineyards are usually managed intensively to optimize wine production without considering possible negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) such as high soil erosion rates, degradation of soil fertility or contamination of groundwater. Winegrowers regulate competition for water and nutrients between the vines and inter‐row vegetation by tilling, mulching and/or herbicide application. Strategies for more sustainable viticulture recommend maintaining vegetation cover in inter‐rows, however, there is a lack of knowledge as to what extent this less intensive inter‐row management affects biodiversity and associated ES. We performed a hierarchical meta‐analysis to quantify the effects of extensive vineyard inter‐row vegetation management in comparison to more intensive management (like soil tillage or herbicide use) on biodiversity and ES from 74 studies covering four continents and 13 wine‐producing countries. Overall, extensive vegetation management increased above‐ and below‐ground biodiversity and ecosystem service provision by 20% in comparison to intensive management. Organic management together with management without herbicides showed a stronger positive effect on ES and biodiversity provision than inter‐row soil tillage. Soil loss parameters showed the largest positive response to inter‐row vegetation cover. The second highest positive response was observed for biodiversity variables, followed by carbon sequestration, pest control and soil fertility. We found no trade‐off between grape yield and quality vs. biodiversity or other ES. Synthesis and applications. Our meta‐analysis concludes that vegetation cover in inter‐rows contributes to biodiversity conservation and provides multiple ecosystem services. However, in drier climates grape yield might decrease without irrigation and careful vegetation management. Agri‐environmental policies should therefore focus on granting subsidies for the establishment of locally adapted diverse vegetation cover in vineyard inter‐rows. Future studies should focus on analysing the combined effects of local vineyard management and landscape composition and advance research in wine‐growing regions in Asia and in the southern hemisphere.

The Perception of Viticultural Landscapes as a Method of Promoting and Supporting Local Economic Activities Through Multifunctional Landscapes

Abstract The perception of landscape and consumption behaviour in relation to landscape was estimated using a questionnaire-based survey with 17 photographs: 15 photos from Romanian representative landscape units, 1 photo representing a foreign landscape (Hungary), and 1 marketing photo. The photo documentation was conducted in sixteen vineyards ecosystems from Târnave Viticultural Region - Transylvania (NW-Romania). The most representative landscape was the photo that had the specifications and criteria: low practices intensity with low landscape complexity; and the less representative landscape was the photo that had the specifications and criteria: photo capturing hiking, walking, tourism, and recreational activities in a viticulture landscape. The landscape could influence the following aspects of communities’ livelihood: establishments and development of enterprises, tourism and recreation businesses, and the place to live. The words used by interviewed people to point out the landscape were interpreted from the point of view of the concept of multifunctionality.

Researches Regarding the Eutypa Lata Lignicole Fungus Manifestation in Vineyards from Blaj Wine Centre

The responses of vine to the eutipoze attack were analyzed, depending on the age of the plantation. Of the four varieties studied, regardless of the plantation age, the lowest degree of attack was registered at FeteascAƒ regala (7.0%) and Sauvignon blanc (7.3%), the differences between being insignificant. The results confirm the data from the literature according to which the eutipoza is more widespread in plantations for over 10 years