A high-resolution physical modelling approach to assess runoff and soil erosion in vineyards under different soil managements

Steep-slope viticulture is a common practice in the Mediterranean basin, and provides landscapes of considerable socio-economic value. However, these complex agricultural systems are intrinsically fragile. One of the main problems is soil erosion due to extreme rainfall events. This may cause a progressive reduction in soil fertility and the occurrence of instabilities and land degradation phenomena. To worsen this condition there is the increasing mechanisation of agricultural management causing soil compaction, and the pressure of climate change, with an intensification of extreme weather events. In this context, vineyard soil management plays a key role, as it can accelerate or mitigate overland flow and soil erosion phenomena. There are various techniques for quantifying these processes, often based on field measurements through prolonged data collection using experimental plots. However, the advent of new technologies in remote sensing opens new frontiers in the acquisition of high-resolution spatial data. Indeed, they could be used in runoff/erosion simulation models and integrated with site-specific data.