Abstract
Grazing and mowing are two dominant management regimes used in grasslands. Although many studies have focused on the effects of grazing intensity on plant community structure, far fewer test how grazing impacts the soil microbial community. Furthermore, the effects of long-term grazing and mowing on plant and microbial community structure are poorly understood. To elucidate how these management regimes affect plant and microbial communities, we collected data from 280 quadrats in a semiarid steppe after 12-year of grazing and mowing treatments. We measured plant species abundance, height, coverage, plant species diversity, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition (G+ and G− bacteria; arbuscular mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi; G+/G− and Fungi/Bacteria). In addition, we determined the soil’s physical and chemical properties, including soil hardness, moisture, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. This is a long-term and multifactorial dataset with plant, soil, and microbial attributes which can be used to answer questions regarding the mechanisms of sustainable grassland management in terms of plant and microbial community structure.
Highlights
Background & SummaryGrasslands cover about 40% of the Earth’s land surface[1]
Livestock grazing in grasslands has resulted in widespread alterations in biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services[2,3], with responses to livestock being largely dependent on grazing intensity, herbivore type, and site productivity[4,5,6]
For each of the 280 quadrats, we measured plant community composition, plant height and cover, microbial community composition and biomass, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil. This dataset can be used to (i) assess how plant and microbial community structure changes with increasing grazing intensity; (ii) decide the suitable grazing intensity to maintain community composition; (iii) demonstrate changes to plant-soil-microbe interactions under grazing and mowing regimes; (iv) determine whether a grazing or mowing regime is more suitable for long-term management in a semiarid steppe
Summary
Grasslands cover about 40% of the Earth’s land surface (excluding Greenland and Antarctica)[1]. The deposition of dung and urine by herbivores can redistribute nutrients in soil, indirectly affecting plant and microbial growth[12,13]. Unlike grazing, mowing does not selectively impact palatable plants and does not cause trampling or dung and urine deposition. It has less of an impact on soil structure than grazing, mowing can produce a more uniform vegetative cover and remove plant aboveground biomass, reducing nutrient cycling to the soil[16]. It was used to compare how different grazing intensities (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 9.0 sheep ha−1) and management regimes (enclosure, grazing, mowing) affect grassland biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
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