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Andreoli, V., Cassardo, C., Iacona, L. T., & Spanna, F. (2019). Description and Preliminary Simulations with the Italian Vineyard Integrated Numerical Model for Estimating Physiological Values (IVINE). Agronomy, 9(2).
Abstract: The numerical crop growth model Italian Vineyard Integrated Numerical model for Estimating physiological values (IVINE) was developed in order to evaluate environmental forcing effects on vine growth. The IVINE model simulates vine growth processes with parameterizations, allowing the understanding of plant conditions at a vineyard scale. It requires a set of meteorology data and soil water status as boundary conditions. The primary model outputs are main phenological stages, leaf development, yield, and sugar concentration. The model requires setting some variety information depending on the cultivar: At present, IVINE is optimized for Vitis vinifera L. Nebbiolo, a variety grown mostly in the Piedmont region (northwestern Italy). In order to evaluate the model accuracy, IVINE was validated using experimental observations gathered in Piedmontese vineyards, showing performances similar or slightly better than those of other widely used crop models. The results of a sensitivity analysis performed to highlight the effects of the variations of air temperature and soil water potential input variables on IVINE outputs showed that most phenological stages anticipated with increasing temperatures, while berry sugar content saturated at about 25.5 °Bx. Long-term (60 years, in the period 1950–2009) simulations performed over a Piedmontese subregion showed statistically significant variations of most IVINE output variables, with larger time trend slopes referring to the most recent 30-year period (1980–2009), thus confirming that ongoing climate change started influencing Piedmontese vineyards in 1980.
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Sanz-Cobena, A., Misselbrook, T. H., Hernaiz, P., & Vallejo, A. (2019). Impact of rainfall to the effectiveness of pig slurry shallow injection method for NH3 mitigation in a Mediterranean soil. Atm. Environ., 216, 116913.
Abstract: Ammonia emission from fertilized cropping systems is an important concern for stakeholders, particularly in regions with high livestock densities producing large amounts of manure. Application of pig slurries can result in very large losses of N through NH3 volatilization, thus decreasing the N use efficiency (NUE) of the applied manure. Shallow incorporation has been shown to significantly abate these losses. In this field study, we assessed the impact of contrasting weather conditions on the effectiveness of shallow injection to abate NH3 emissions from pig slurry application to a Mediterranean soil. As potential trade-offs of NH3 abatement, greenhouse gas emissions were also measured under conditions of high soil moisture. Compared with surface application of slurry, shallow injection effectively and significantly decreased NH3 losses independently of weather conditions, but reductions of NH3 emission were greater after heavy rainfall. In contrast, under these conditions, shallow injection triggered higher emissions of N2O and CH4. Our findings reinforce the idea that any single-pollutant abatement strategy needs to be designed and assessed in a regional context and considering potential trade-offs in the form of other pollutants.
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Pasqui, M., & Di Giuseppe, E. (2019). Climate change, future warming, and adaptation in Europe. Animal Frontiers, 9(1), 6–11.
Abstract: In recent decades, the increased temperatures reported in Europe and in the Mediterranean basin represent one of the clearest footprints of climate change along with increased frequency of heat waves. These climate modifications put the environment and human activities under strong pressure with a resulting need for designing new adaptation and mitigation strategies. The climate change challenge is unprecedented for humanity and is recognized as a priority topic for future research. Changes in the way we think and behave are critical challenges at the global and regional levels.
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