Articles
EUROPEAN CLIMATE VARIABILITY EFFECTS ON GRAPEVINE HARVEST DATE TIME SERIES IN THE ABRUZZI (ITALY)
Article number
931_6
Pages
63 – 69
Language
English
Abstract
The effects of the abrupt climate change, that affected the European continent during the 1980s, were investigated comparing data registered in the Abruzzi (central Italy) under a Mediterranean climate (Koeppens Csa) to oceanic climate (Koeppens Cfb) from the Bordeaux area (France). Therefore the thermo-pluviometric data registered in the period 1974-2009 by three hillside stations of the Abruzzi located in maritime areas (central and southern part of the region) and in the inland zone were analyzed via bioclimatic indices.
The changes in climate were evaluated as well as climates influence on beginning dates of the Montepulciano harvest.
In the Abruzzi, as well as in Bordeaux area, harvest dates were mainly influenced by heat accumulation during to the first period of vegetative growth (from March to June). Suitable bioclimatic indexes during this period i.e., Active Temperature (AT), Huglin Index (HI) and Normal Heat Hours (NHH) showed good correlation with earlier harvests in all tested areas.
Statistical analyses of the temporal trends of these bioclimatic indexes identified break-points occurring in the period of time from 1984 to 1998. For Abruzzi, the first break-point identified happened in the central maritime area in 1984, and was followed in 1997 and 1998 by break-points observed in the southern maritime area and in the inland zone, respectively.
Climatic break-points were also seen in the Bordeaux time series in the AT and NHH indexes, which showed two break-points around 1987 and 1996. The break-points observed in the Abruzzi region, as well as in Bordeaux area, matched very well with harvest date break-points and appear to well represent the changes from the previous to the current climatic phase.
The current climate is related to an advance in harvest date ranging from 10 days in Bordeaux and in the southern maritime area of Abruzzi to 14-15 days in the central maritime area and inland zone of Abruzzi.
The changes in climate were evaluated as well as climates influence on beginning dates of the Montepulciano harvest.
In the Abruzzi, as well as in Bordeaux area, harvest dates were mainly influenced by heat accumulation during to the first period of vegetative growth (from March to June). Suitable bioclimatic indexes during this period i.e., Active Temperature (AT), Huglin Index (HI) and Normal Heat Hours (NHH) showed good correlation with earlier harvests in all tested areas.
Statistical analyses of the temporal trends of these bioclimatic indexes identified break-points occurring in the period of time from 1984 to 1998. For Abruzzi, the first break-point identified happened in the central maritime area in 1984, and was followed in 1997 and 1998 by break-points observed in the southern maritime area and in the inland zone, respectively.
Climatic break-points were also seen in the Bordeaux time series in the AT and NHH indexes, which showed two break-points around 1987 and 1996. The break-points observed in the Abruzzi region, as well as in Bordeaux area, matched very well with harvest date break-points and appear to well represent the changes from the previous to the current climatic phase.
The current climate is related to an advance in harvest date ranging from 10 days in Bordeaux and in the southern maritime area of Abruzzi to 14-15 days in the central maritime area and inland zone of Abruzzi.
Authors
B. Di Lena, O. Silvestroni, L. Mariani , S. Parisi, F. Antenucci
Keywords
climate change, Vitis vinifera, bioclimatic indexes, Huglin index, Normal heat hours
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