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).