Assessment of overgrazing on degradation of sloping soil

Overgrazing, particularly on slopes, can cause significant alterations in soil quality, determining a greater vulnerability to soil erosion. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of horse overgrazing on sloping (20%) soil properties. Chemical and biochemical parameters have been determined in order to evaluate soil quality. A significant decrease in nutrients was observed after one year. The trend of enzyme activities highlighted a reduction of metabolic processes. However, after one year of resting land, an improvement of soil quality could be noticed by the restoration of the initial level of enzymatic activities.