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Effects of grazing intensity on richness and composition of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere microbial communities in a semiarid grassland
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  • Yang Yang,
  • Zhang Hao,
  • Liu Wei,
  • Sun Jiamei,
  • Mengli Zhao,
  • Guodong Han,
  • Qingmin Pan
Yang Yang
Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Zhang Hao
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
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Liu Wei
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Sun Jiamei
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Mengli Zhao
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
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Guodong Han
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
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Qingmin Pan
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:pqm@ibcas.ac.cn

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Abstract

1.Overgrazing-induced grassland degradation has become a severe ecological problem worldwide. The diversity and composition of soil microbial communities are responsive to grazing disturbance. Yet, our understanding is limited with respect to the effects of grazing intensity on bacterial and fungal communities, especially in plant rhizosphere. 2.Using a long-term (15 years) grazing experiment, we evaluated the richness and composition of microbial communities in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere regions, under light, moderate, and heavy intensities of grazing, in a semiarid grassland. We also examined the relative roles of grazing-induced changes in some abiotic and biotic factors in affecting the richness and composition of microbial communities. 3.Our results showed that the responses of soil bacteria to grazing intensity differed greatly between rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere, and so did soil fungi. Specifically, the bacterial richness decreased markedly under moderate and heavy grazing in rhizosphere soil, whereas little impact on the fungal richness was observed. For microbial composition, with the increase in grazing intensity, an increase in dissimilarity among bacterial communities was observed, and this trend also held true for the fungal communities. Hierarchical partitioning analyses indicated that the bacterial composition in rhizosphere was primarily driven by root nitrogen and soil nitrogen concentrations while that in non-rhizosphere by soil available phosphorus. In addition, soil available phosphorus played an important role in affecting the fungal composition in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere regions. 4.Synthesis: This study provides direct experimental evidence that the richness and composition of microbial communities were severely altered by heavy grazing in a semiarid grassland. Thus, to restore the grazing-induced, degraded grasslands, we should pay more attention to the conservation of soil microbe in addition to vegetation recovery.
22 Dec 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
24 Dec 2022Submission Checks Completed
24 Dec 2022Assigned to Editor
05 Jan 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
28 Feb 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
19 Apr 20231st Revision Received
24 Apr 2023Submission Checks Completed
24 Apr 2023Assigned to Editor
24 Apr 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 May 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Jun 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
19 Jun 20232nd Revision Received
19 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
19 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
19 Jun 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
30 Jun 2023Editorial Decision: Accept