Integrating Soil Diagnostics and Life Cycle Assessment to Enhance Vineyard Sustainability on a Volcanic Island (Tenerife, Spain)

Santiago M. Barroso Castillo, Ignacio de Martín-Pinillos Castellanos and Pablo Alonso González ()
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Santiago M. Barroso Castillo: Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Ignacio de Martín-Pinillos Castellanos: Departamento de Economía, Contabilidad y Finanzas, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Pablo Alonso González: Social Sciences, Heritage and Food (SOCIALPAT), Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

Resources, 2025, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: Viticulture in insular and volcanic environments faces mounting pressures from land abandonment, limited mechanization, and climate-related stress on soil and water resources. This study develops an integrated framework combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and soil diagnostics to evaluate the environmental and agronomic performance of vineyards on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Fifteen representative vineyards located between 100 and 1000 m a.s.l. within the Tacoronte–Acentejo Denomination of Origin were assessed using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method and the Ecoinvent 3.8 database. The average carbon footprint reached 1.40 kg CO 2 -eq kg −1 of grapes, with diesel use for field access and transport contributing over 50% of total impacts and 64% of human toxicity. Copper-based fungicides accounted for ~11% of impacts, underscoring their environmental persistence. Soil analyses revealed widespread Ca/Mg imbalances and sporadic K deficiencies, while organic matter and pH levels were generally adequate. Importantly, vineyards with balanced nutrient ratios exhibited both higher yields and lower environmental burdens, suggesting that improved soil health can enhance eco-efficiency, primarily by supporting higher yields under similar input regimes. Targeted strategies—such as magnesium supplementation, reduced copper inputs, and low-carbon mobility practices—can therefore mitigate emissions while improving productivity. The proposed LCA–soil integration provides a replicable model for sustainable resource management and climate-resilient viticulture in other fragile and topographically constrained agricultural systems.

Keywords: sustainable viticulture; resource efficiency; Life Cycle Assessment; volcanic soils; soil analysis; carbon footprint; soil fertility; nutrient balance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:12:p:177-:d:1799618

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