Erosion rates and sediment budgets in vineyards at 1-m resolution based on stock unearthing (Burgundy, France).

Jérôme Antoine Brenot (1) , Amélie Quiquerez (1) , Christophe Petit (2, 3) , Jean-Pierre Garcia (2)

1 BGS - Biogéosciences [UMR 6282]
2 ACS - Archéologies, Cultures et Sociétés
3 Archéologies environnementales

A new and simple method is developed to efficiently quantify erosion and deposition rates based on stock unearthing measurements. This is applicable to spatial scales ranging from plot to hillslopes, and to time scales ranging from single hydrologic events to centennial scales. The method is applied to a plot area on vineyard hillslopes in Burgundy (Monthélie, France), with measurement of 4328 vine plants. A sediment budget established at the plot scale shows a mean soil lowering of 3.44±1 cm over 20 years, involving a minimal erosion rate of 1.7±0.5mmyr−1. Locally, erosion rates can reach up to 8.2±0.5 mm yr−1. This approach allows the sediment redistribution to be mapped and analyzed at 1-m resolution. It provides novel insights into the characterization of erosion patterns on pluri-decennial scales and into the analysis of spatial distribution of erosion processes on cultivated hillslopes.

Mots clés: Soil erosion; Vineyard; Sediment flux quantification; Spatially distributed erosion patterns; Burgundy

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société; Sciences de l'environnement

Jérôme Antoine Brenot, Amélie Quiquerez, Christophe Petit, Jean-Pierre Garcia. Erosion rates and sediment budgets in vineyards at 1-m resolution based on stock unearthing (Burgundy, France).. Geomorphology, 2008, 100 (3-4), pp.345-355. ⟨10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.01.005⟩. ⟨hal-00315405⟩