Environmental and management factors shaping copper effects on vineyard soil microorganisms: A systematic review

Copper (Cu)-based fungicides have been widely used in vineyard soils for more than a century. Although effective against fungal diseases, Cu contamination in soil poses potential risks for microorganisms, which are essential for soil health and vineyard sustainability. Therefore, understanding how environmental factors (i.e., soil pH, organic matter and ageing processes) and management practices (e.g., tillage, amendments or cover cropping) modulate Cu effects on microbial communities is essential. This systematic review synthesises the available scientific literature on Cu contamination in vineyard soils, its impact on soil microbial communities, and the main environmental factors and management practices influencing these responses. The literature search was conducted using Scopus until February 2026, following the PRISMA protocol ( Page et al., 2021 ). Overall, after screening 786 publications, 51 experimental peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected and analysed. Several data on environmental factors, management, Cu levels, and microbial responses were extracted and synthesised. The results showed that Cu contamination was associated with negative impacts on microbial communities, including shifts in composition, decreased diversity, and reduced biomass and enzymatic activities. However, microbial responses were highly variable across studies and could not be consistently explained by either total or bioavailable Cu content. Soil pH, organic matter (OM) and ageing processes are key modulators of Cu toxicity. Acidic and low-OM soils showed greater microbial vulnerability, while alkaline and high-OM soils exhibited greater buffering capacity. Management practices, such as compost amendment, cover crops or reduced tillage, were often associated with more favourable microbial responses. These effects were frequently attributed to reduced Cu bioavailability and/or improvements in soil conditions supporting microbial communities. Long-term Cu-contaminated soils showed microbial adaptation. Knowledge gaps were identified regarding combined vineyard management effects and methodological heterogeneity.