DVINE – The Douro vineyards, World Heritage Patrimony: Assessing the impact of an ancient activity in the quality of sediment and water in the Douro

Abstract

Port wine vineyards along the margins of the Douro River are socio-culturally important, as Port wine is a world class agricultural product. While the tradition and economic beneficts of the crop are considerable, the intensive use of fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides to disease control in the vineyard is corrently raising public concern. The principal aim of this project is to assess the effect of intensive vine cultivation in the composition of sediments of the Douro river and its effect in water quality, and the changes in soil and sediment microbial community. We intend establishing patterns of inorganic and organic pollution, investigating the relationship between vineyard soils and element concentration in sediments, studying metals speciation in sediments, assessing the impact of contamination in water quality, and assessing the risk posed by these natural matrices to the biota. Comparison of the present situation with the record of the past as registred in sediment cores will allow assessing the impact of past and current land use on the river that may assist in developing future environmental strategies for the catchment. We will seek in particular the record of changes related to vine cultivation over time.