Reduced moisture caused by short-term grazing prohibition results in a significant decrease of fungi abundance

The grassland ecosystem is an integral component of the global ecosystem. However, the changes in soil and soil microbial communities during the transition from natural grazing to grazing prohibition period in the Stipa Krylovii steppe, along with the driving factors behind the differences in soil microbial communities, remain unclear. In this study, soil characteristics and the fungal community diversity were measured and assessed. The results indicated that during the initial period of grazing prohibition, the dominant fungal species remained consistent, yet there were notable changes in their abundance and the physicochemical properties of the soil. Under natural grazing, a significant inverse relationship was observed between fungal abundance and pH. Conversely, a positive association was found between fungal diversity and volumetric water content (VWC), along with a highly significant positive correlation between fungal abundance, fungal diversity, and soil organic matter (SOM). In the initial period of grazing prohibition, fungal abundance exhibited a noteworthy positive association with SOM, VWC, and soil temperature (ST). Similarly, fungal diversity displayed a significant positive correlation with SOM and ST. Fungal abundance appeared to be more influenced by soil factors compared to fungal diversity, with VWC identified as the most crucial element impacting factor on fungal abundance.