Carbon sequestration in vineyard soils: biomass utilization in a climate change scenario–the SUSTAIN project

The SUSTAIN project aims at assessing the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and vulnerability in vineyard soils under a climate change scenario. The accumulation and stabilization mechanisms of SOC and its relative distribution between pools with different turnover rates are investigated, together with shifts in microbial community composition. Three experimental vineyards located in the Veneto region (North of Italy), and characterized by different pedoclimatic conditions, are investigated. In each of them, a randomized block design, consisting of 3 blocks composed of 8 plots each, and two factors, i.e., land management practice (i.e., digestate application, cover crop, bare soil) and climate manipulation (i.e., ambient temperature vs. warming), is set up. Open top chambers (OTC) are used to obtain a temperature increase of ~2 °C (SSP2-4.5). Three grape varieties (i.e., Corvina at Negrar, Glera at Lonigo, and Garganega at Albaredo d’Adige) all having the same age (i.e., 12 months old) are tested. Soil samples will be collected at four times (i.e., after 0, 6, 12 and 18 months from the OTC placement) and at 3 depths (i.e., 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 cm), and characterized from the physical, chemical and microbiological point of view. SOC storage and potential vulnerability to climate change will be investigated by separating SOC into functionally defined fractions, namely particulate (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). In fact, being more protected from microbial degradation by soil minerals, MAOM is generally expected to be less prone to disturbance compared to POM. The results obtained at the end of this project (in 2026) will help implementing agro-environmental management practices supported by the new common agricultural policy (CAP), including carbon farming payment schemes based not only on the quantity of SOC stocked, but also on its turnover or susceptibility to global warming. Moreover, such a study will provide insights on vineyard vulnerability and possible changes in wine quality in a climate change scenario.