Ecological sustainability evaluation of traditional management in different vineyard systems in Berisso, Argentina

The ecological principles underlying traditional agricultural management practices are not always understood. On the coast of Berisso, Argentina, traditional management practices are applied to “old” vineyards located in flood plain areas, subject to periodic floods. Over the last few years, “new” vineyards have been planted at slightly higher altitudes, protecting them from river flooding. Despite the ecological differences between the low and high areas, farmers have largely extended traditional management practices to the new vineyards. This study was undertaken to evaluate the risks involved when traditional agricultural management practices are applied to different ecological settings while the underlying ecological principles of those practices are not well understood. The evaluation relies on three distinct sections: (1) assessing the sustainability of a traditional vineyard management system, (2) analyzing its underlying ecological principles and (3) investigating the potential consequences of applying management practices utilized in flood plain zones to higher altitudes. To carry out the evaluation, a methodology based on indicators was used. In particular, an evaluation was developed to examine traditional vineyard management effects on both internal resources, such as soil properties and biodiversity, and external resources, such as nonrenewable energy and water resources. In old vineyards situated within the flood plain, traditional management practices recycle organic matter, preserve biodiversity, provide for an efficient use of nonrenewable energy and ensure a low risk of underground water contamination from pesticides. Furthermore, the soil nutrient balance is maintained via nutrient input from river sediments. In contrast, new vineyards present a negative soil nutrient balance. Our findings thus suggest that traditional management practices are ecologically sound when considered within their original ecological context, but may be inappropriate in new ecological settings.