The present study investigates the functionalecological status of typical light clay soils in vineyards in the southern region of Crimea, using both traditional (including fallow soils) and organic land-use systems. This analysis was carried out by examining agrochemical indicators, microbial respiratory activity, microbial biomass, and the ecological status of the microbial community. In organic vineyard soils, the mean substrate-induced respiration, microbial biomass carbon and the ratio of microbial biomass to organic carbon were found to be 2.8, 4.0, and 4.1 times higher, respectively, compared to conventional farm soils. On the contrary, the microbial metabolic coefficient was 1.4 times lower, signifying more favorable conditions for the functioning of the soil microbiota. The increased mobile sulfur content in organic vineyard soils (18.3 mg kg⁻¹ vs. 8.0 mg kg⁻¹ in traditional farms) and inadequate mobile phosphorus supply in some farms present potential risks. The suboptimal functional state of the microbiome in fallow soils previously under traditional plant protection necessitates comprehensive ecotoxicological analyses before development. Assessing the soil functional ecological status through an ecophysiological evaluation of the microbiome is vital for understanding ampelocenosis soils and making informed decisions on vineyard management practices.

Vineyards are distinctive agroecosystems heavily influenced by local natural factors and traditional management practices, with significant implications for the quality and quantity of grape production. This study investigated the ecological impact of copper-containing fungicides on the accumulation and distribution of copper, manganese, chromium, and cobalt in the upper soil horizons of vineyards of varying ages in the Fruška Gora region, Serbia. The results indicated a marked difference in total copper content across vineyards, with the oldest vineyard exhibiting levels 6.9 times above the regulatory limit. Factor analysis delineated a strong correlation between copper accumulation and vineyard age while also highlighting the influence of landscape morphology on the spatial distribution of heavy metals. The findings suggest that copper accumulation is primarily related to agricultural practices, particularly the duration of fungicide application, while the distribution of other heavy metals is more closely associated with topographic features. The novelty of our research lies in the fact that we have shown that the assessment of copper accumulation in soil in vineyard ecosystems should take into account not only viticultural practices but also the history of land use and the landscape characteristics of the area.

The paper presents analysis of soil spatial distribution and productivity of Populus x euramericana I-214 forest cultures in forest management unit (hereinafter: FMU) Muzljanski rit. Soil cover in the FMU is heterogeneous in relation to...

In conditions of intensified agriculture, assessing the ecological status of soils, especially in vulnerable agrolandscapes such as slope vineyards, is becoming increasingly important. This study aimed to perform an agroecological assessment of the functional state of soils in an intensive vineyard and adjacent areas within slope catenas in the mountain landscape of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, based on basal soil respiration. Basal respiration rate was determined by gas chromatography, soil organic matter content was measured by spectrophotometry, and correlation analysis was used to identify relationships between the studied parameters. The agroecological state of the vineyard soil, the wheel track soil, and the fallow soil under meadow vegetation was characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity, determined by a complex of multidirectional factors: position in the mesorelief, agroclimatic factors, and the intensity of agrogenic load. Signs of long-term periodic erosion-accumulative redistribution of the topsoil (loamy fine earth) under vineyards along the catena slopes were identified. This leads to the depletion of organic matter in the surface horizons down to 15 cm depth and its accumulation in the 15–30 cm horizon. The highest basal respiration rate was found in the post-agrogenic (fallow) soil (0.893 μg CO₂-C·g⁻¹·h⁻¹), with a a 1.2–2.0-fold decrease in vineyard soils. The basal respiration rate on the south-facing slope was 1.2–1.5 times higher than on the north-facing one, probably due to the partial compensation of the negative impact of sheet erosion by a more favorable thermal-moisture regime. The most stressful conditions for soil microbiota functioning were found in the wheel tracks, where the basal respiration rate (0.219 μg CO₂-C·g⁻¹·h⁻¹) was 4.1 times lower compared to the fallow soil. Thus, the obtained data indicate a significant depression of soil microbiota in the most disturbed elements of the agrolandscape and underscore the need to adapt applied agrotechnologies for slope lands. Determining soil biological activity, assessed via basal respiration rate, is useful as an integrative diagnostic parameter for both evaluating the current functional state of the soil ecosystem and for forecasting potential environmental problems resulting from the long-term use of slope agrolandscapes in the future.

The data on the content of mobile sulfur in soils of vineyards on the Southern coast of Crimea with organic and conventional land use systems as well as in fallow soils after long-term application of chemical pesticides are presented. As a result of the use of sulphur-containing pesticides allowed in organic farming and the activation of organic matter mineralization processes due to regional soil and climatic conditions, a significantly higher accumulation of mobile sulphur in the upper soil horizons of organic farms was observed. Higher levels of mobile sulphur in organic vineyard soils can adversely affect the organoleptic and physico-