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Local Perceptions, Vulnerability and Adaptive Responses to Climate Change and Variability in a Winegrowing Region in Uruguay

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Abstract

Understanding climate variability in a winegrowing region is fundamental to understanding how its vineyards can adapt to climate change. For Uruguay, studying the vulnerability and adaptive responses of vineyards to climate change and climate variability is relevant due to its winegrowing region’s economic importance and cultural heritage. Winegrowers and technical advisors were interviewed to evaluate their perceptions of climate change, vulnerability of their vineyards and how to adapt them. The main results showed that winegrowers had a clear perception of annual climate variability. The respondents highlighted the extreme climate events that had occurred over the previous few years and 71% of them believed that they had increased in frequency. Despite the perception of increase in climate variability in the region, they did not associate it with climate change. Overall, 43% of respondents agreed that changes in certain viticulture practices in recent years could have been due to climate change, especially those related to the preventive use of pesticides. The respondents identified climate risks that resulted in “bad” years for yield and quality (increase in extreme events (e.g., storms, hail), decrease in “cold” units in winter (i.e., temperatures <0 °C), increase in “hot” hours (i.e., >35 °C), increase in precipitation during the growing season and ripening period) as well as their impacts on vineyards. An adaptation matrix was developed from the viticulture practices that the winegrowers used in response to climate variability. Medium- and long-term adaptive responses to climate change can be based on the knowledge of winegrowers and their advisors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully thank each of the winegrowers and advisors that participated in the interviews, for giving their selfless opinion, their experience and valuable time. We also appreciate the comments from the anonymous referees to improve the article. The senior author gratefully acknowledges the support from the Postgraduate Academic Commission of the University of the Republic (2012–2014), and National Agency for Investigation and Innovation doctoral scholarships (POS_NAC_2014_1_102864).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Av. E. Garzón 780, CP, 12900, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Mercedes Fourment & Milka Ferrer

  2. UVV INRA Angers, 42 rue Georges Morel, 49071, Beaucouzé, France

    Gérard Barbeau

  3. UMR6554 LETG CNRS, Université Rennes 2, Place du Recteur Henri le Moal, 35043, Rennes, France

    Hervé Quénol

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  1. Mercedes Fourment
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  2. Milka Ferrer
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  3. Gérard Barbeau
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  4. Hervé Quénol
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Correspondence to Mercedes Fourment.

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Fourment, M., Ferrer, M., Barbeau, G. et al. Local Perceptions, Vulnerability and Adaptive Responses to Climate Change and Variability in a Winegrowing Region in Uruguay. Environmental Management 66, 590–599 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01330-4

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