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Abstract. Vineyards are one of the eco-geomorphological systems most conditioned by human activity in Germany. The vineyards of the Ruwer Valley (Germany) are characterized by high soil erosion rates and rill problems on steep slopes (between 23 and 26 • ) caused by the increasingly frequent heavy rainfall events as well as deterioration due to incorrect land use managements.The objective of this paper is to determine and to quantify the hydrological and erosive phenomena in one vineyard in Germany during different seasons and under different management conditions (before, during and after vintage).For this purpose, a combined methodology was applied. Climatic (rainfall depth distributions and return periods), pedological (soil analysis and classification), geomorphological (sediment movements and rills evolution) and biological (botanic marks on the vines) variables were used on the two experimental plots in the village of Waldrach (Trier, region of Rhineland-Palatinate).The results showed high infiltration rates (near 100 %) and subsurface flow which were detected by rainfall simulations performed at different times of the year (between September and December). The highest variations of the monitored rills (lateral and frontal movements) were noted before and during vintage, when footsteps occurred concentrated during a short period of time (between September and October). Finally, two maps of soil loss were generated, indicated by botanic marks on the graft union of the vines. 62.5 t ha −1 yr −1 soil loss was registered in the experimental plots of the new vineyards (2 years), while 3.4 t ha −1 yr −1 was recorded in the old one (35 years).

The set‐up and characterisation of an indoor nozzle‐type rainfall simulator (RS) at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, are presented. It is equipped with four Lechler nozzles (two nr. 460·788 and two nr. 461·008). The tilting irrigation plot is 6 m long and 2·5 m wide. An electrical pump supplies the constant flow during the experiments. The spatial distribution of the rainfall was measured with 60 rain gauges equally distributed on the experimental plot. Thies® Laser Precipitation Monitor was used to measure the size and falling velocity of the raindrops. Four different flow rates were applied (Q1–4). From the collected data, spatial rainfall intensity and spatial kinetic energy distribution maps were created; Christiansen uniformity coefficient was calculated for each flow rate. The results of the experiments revealed that the rainfall parameters (spatial rainfall intensity, kinetic energy, raindrop size distribution and fall velocity) in the RS are not homogeneous (Christiansen uniformity ranges from 68·5% to 83·2%). Accordingly, the whole plot can only be irrigated irregularly applying a wide range of intensities and rainfall energies. The RS offers a good opportunity to study great variety of process intensities such as splash erosion, runoff generation, soil aggregate stability, organic matter migration and scaled landscape development. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Abstract. Vineyards are one of the most German conditioned eco-geomorphological systems by human activity. Precisely, the vineyards of the Ruwer Valley (Germany) is characterized by high soil erosion rates and rill problems on steep slopes (between 23–26°) caused by the increasingly frequent heavy rainfall events, what is sometimes enhanced by incorrect land use managements. Soil tillage before and after vintage, application of vine training systems and anthropic rills generated by wheel tracks and footsteps are observed along these cultivated area. The objective of this paper is to determine and to quantify the hydrological and erosive phenomena in two chosen vineyards, during diverse seasons and under different management conditions (before, during and after vintage). For this purpose, a combined methodology was applied. Investigating climatic, pedological, geomorphological and botanic-marks variables was suggested on the two experimental plot in the village of Waldrach (Trier, region of Rhineland-Palatinate). First, high infiltration rates (near 100%) and subsurface flow was detected by rainfall simulations performed at different times of the year. The second method to investigate the geomorphological response of slope inclination, two 10 m and one 30 m long rills were measured using geometrical channel cross-section index, depth and width. The highest variations (lateral and frontal movements) were noted before and during vintage, when footsteps occurred in a concentrated short time. Finally, two maps were generated of soil loss, indicated by the botanic marks on the graft union of the vines. As results 62.5 t−1 ha−1 yr−1 soil loss rate was registered (one year) on the experimental plots of the new vineyards, while 4.3 t−1 ha−1 yr−1 on the old one.