Spring Rest-Grazing Time Influenced Soil Phosphorus Fractions by Altering the Abundance of Genes Involved in Phosphorus Cycling in a Subalpine Meadow.

ABSTRACT: Soil phosphorus (P) availability is a critical factor limiting plant growth and ecosystem productivity that can be strongly influenced by land use factors, such as grazing by livestock. Seasonal grazing management can benefit grassland productivity and soil nutrient cycling in alpine meadows, but its effects on soil P availability and the microbial processes driving P transformation remain poorly understood. To address this, a long-term field experiment was conducted with five different spring rest-grazing periods, where soil P fractions were examined and metagenomic sequencing was employed to assess the functional profiles of microbial genes involved in P cycling. Early spring rest-grazing led to higher concentrations of labile P fractions (Resin-P and NaHCO₃-Pi), indicating im

SUBMITTER: Xiao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12654276 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature