Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 11.8
Daily (
a
) and monthly (
b
) values of GPP, NEE, and ecosystem respiration (Reco), in
the Serdiana site
11.2 Abandonment and Re-planting Influence on Soil
Carbon Stock: The Case of the Sicilian Vineyards
Over the last decades most of the Sicilian vineyards were abandoned or replanted
with new varieties thanks to economic incentives by the Sicilian government in
order to improve wine quality. While replanting, the soil was often managed with
intensive and deep tillage (to prepare the ground for future vineyards), involv-
ing changes in SOC stock. In Sicily more than 11,000 ha of vineyard were aban-
doned and more than 45,000 ha have been subjected to new plantation on a total of
121,000 ha since 2000. Understanding and quantifying the carbon gain and loss in
relation to land uses (abandonment and replantation) after old vineyards extirpa-
tion is crucial in order to obtain better defined carbon inventories (IPCC
2006
).
The great diversity of soil types and land use histories will make it difficult to pre-
dict the soil GHGs balances at regional or national scale. A representative area in
the southwest of Sicily [between the district of Castelvetrano and Campobello di
Fig. 11.9
Test area localization and land use of Sicilian study area
