Biochemical properties of vineyard soils in Galicia, Spain

In the present study we investigated changes in soil biochemical activity in vineyard soils. With this aim, soil samples (0–10 cm) from 15 vineyard soils developed on diverse parent materials were collected during winter. All soil samples were analysed for a large number of both general and specific biochemical properties. The values of all of the biochemical parameters analysed were extremely low, between 3 and 39% of the usual values obtained for native Galician soils under climax vegetation. To estimate the level of biochemical quality of vineyard soils, while avoiding the problem of comparing soils with totally different organic matter contents, a biochemical equilibrium equation was used. The results showed that vineyard soils are highly degraded soils, for which in the most extreme cases, the value of the biochemical equilibrium index was 13%, i.e. almost 8 times lower that in high quality soils such as climax soils.