Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Rangeland Resources & Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #435946
Research Project: Developing Precision Management Strategies to Enhance Productivity, Biodiversity, and Climate Resilience in Rangeland Social-ecological Systems

Location: Rangeland Resources & Systems Research

Title: Data from: Multi-decadal grazing effects on soil organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a semiarid rangeland

Author
item Derner, Justin
item Taylor, Kalyn
item Mortenson, Matthew
item Stewart, Catherine
item Hoover, David
item Kaplan, Nicole

Submitted to: Ag Data Commons
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2026
Publication Date: 7/6/2026
Citation: Derner, J.D., Taylor, K.M., Mortenson, M.C., Stewart, C.E., Hoover, D.L., Kaplan, N.E. 2026. Data from: Multi-decadal grazing effects on soil organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a semiarid rangeland. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/32764923.v1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/32764923.v1

Interpretive Summary: A multi-decadal grazing experiment was established in 1982 in the semiarid northern mixed-grass prairie of the North American Great Plains using three grazing treatments: season-long light stocking, season-long heavy stocking, and non-grazed exclosures. Soil samples were collected in 1993, 2003, and 2013 at 3 depths of 0–2 inches, 2-6 inches, and 6-12 inches. Across all grazing treatments and depths, measured concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil nitrogen (N) declined between 1993 and 2013. An exception was higher N concentrations in the 0–2 inche depth under season-long light grazing.

Technical Abstract: These are published data that support a research article entitled, Multi-decadal grazing effects on soil organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a semiarid rangeland. Scientists measured soils organic carbon and total nitrogen under light grazing all season, heavy grazing all season, and no grazing at all. They collected soil samples in 1993, 2003, and 2013 from three depths: 0–5 cm, 5–15 cm, and 15–30 cm.