Updated measurements in vineyards improves accuracy of soil erosion rates

All rights reserved. Vineyards have proven to be one of the most degraded agricultural ecosystems due to very high erosion rates, which are typically measured at fine temporal and spatial scales. Long-term soil erosion measures are rare, but this information may be indispensable for a proper understanding of the vineyard soil system, landscape evolution, and crop production. The stock unearthing method (SUM) is a common topographical measurement technique developed to assess long-term erosion rates. The reliance of the SUM has been questioned and should be replaced by an improved measurement technique. In this paper, we demonstrate the added value (improved accurate, low cost, and faster th…