Fig. 3. Effect of grazing exclusion and grassland type on soil fungi phylum and phyla community composition . Fig(A) shows the composition of the soil fungal phylum in the 0-5cm soil layer; Figure (B) shows the composition of the soil fungal phylum in the 5-10cm soil layer; Figure (C) shows the composition of the soil fungal phyla in the 0-5cm soil layer; Figure (D) shows the composition of the soil fungal phyla in the 5-10cm soil layer. TD, temperate desert; TS, temperate steppe; MM, mountain meadow.
3.3. Soil fungal community diversity as affected by grazing exclusion and grassland type
Soil fungal α-diversity was not significantly altered by grazing exclusion, grassland type or the interaction between the two in either the 0-5 cm or 5-10 cm soil layers (P > 0.05; Fig 4). In addition, the Chao1 index was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in mountain meadows than in temperate deserts in the 0-5 cm soil layer.
A principal coordinate analysis of soil fungal communities based on Bray-Curtis distances showed that PCoA1 and PCoA2 explained 27.0% and 13.1% of the variation in soil fungal communities in the 0-5 cm soil layer, with a cumulative contribution of 40.1% (Fig. 5a). Further Anosim analysis showed significant differences soil fungal communities (R=0.527, P <0.001). In the 5-10cm soil layer, PCoA1 and PCoA2 explained 22.7% and 10.5% of the variation in soil fungal communities respectively, with a cumulative contribution of 33.2% (Fig. 5b). Further Anosim analysis showed significant differences soil fungal communities (R=0.475, P <0.001).