Burke et al. compared changes in soil characteristics, caused by long-term grazing, topography, microsite and plant species, in a Colorado shortgrass steppe plant community. Topography and microsite had greater effects on soil characteristics than grazing and plant species. Grazing tended to enhance coarse particulate organic matter C and N and soil redistribution, while decreasing soil respiration; however, the magnitude of these differences was limited. The authors conclude that 60 years of grazing has had minimal impacts on soil physical and chemical characteristics in this shortgrass steppe plant community and that the impacts of grazing will likely remain small when compared to the impacts of the other natural disturbances that are present.
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