Naeth et al. assessed the impacts of long-term cattle grazing on litter and soil organic matter in mixed prairie, parkland fescue, and foothills fescue grasslands of Alberta, Canada. In the mixed prairie, live vegetation and litter components of ground cover were not affected by grazing. Grazing increased bare ground 2.7 to 4.7 times, with early season grazing being more harmful than late season grazing. Early season grazing reduced organic carbon values in roots and standing litter but increased it in coarse and medium litter. Grazing treatment did not effect organic carbon in soil organic matter or amount of above ground biomass. In the parkland fescue grassland, live vegetation and litter components of ground cover were not affected by grazing. Organic carbon in roots and coarse litter was not affected by grazing but in standing litter it was highest in control and heavy June treatments and lowest in the heavy autumn treatments. Above ground biomass was not affected by grazing. In the foothills fescue grassland bare ground increased under moderate, heavy, and severe grazing. Litter cover was highest in the control but did not vary among grazed treatments. In all litter and organic matter categories, organic carbon was not affected by grazing treatment.
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