Water-stable aggregates and organic matter pools in a calcareous vineyard soil under four soil-surface management systems

. Vineyards in Champagne, France are generally situated on slopes where the soils are subject to erosion. Therefore it is important to find a soil-surface management practice that protects the soil against water erosion. We assessed the potential of mulches or grass covers to stabilize soil aggregates in a calcareous sandy loam from a vineyard in Champagne after 9 years under different management systems. Four different treatments were studied: (i) a bluegrass (Poa pratensis) surface cover between the vine rows (GC) with bare soil under the vines (R); two organic mulches of (ii) coniferous (CB) or (iii) poplar (PB) bark that covered the entire soil surface, and (iv) bare soil between the ro…