Wheeler et al. studied the effects of seasonal grazing treatments (early spring and late summer) on soil physical properties, in a montane riparian ecosystem in northern Colorado. The recovery rates of infiltration and soil bulk densities of a riparian soil following grazing returned to pre-grazing values within one year from the disturbance, on the previously ungrazed riparian area. The amount of surface organic matter and surface soil showed high compaction immediately following trampling. However those layers protected the underlying soils from compaction. The bulk densities of the soils significantly increased following grazing in all soil depths except for the top 5 centimeters.
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