The mechanism underlying grazing shaping stoichiometry of plant community on a grassland of Guizhou subtropical plateau

Livestock grazing is a traditional and major use of grassland in China subtropics. However, plant stoichiometry and how it was affected by grazing in these ecosystems have been poorly explored. Here, the responses in plant nutrition and stoichiometry as well as soil nutrition and stoichiometry under representative grazing intensities (i.e., moderate grazing and heavy grazing) compared with no-grazing were characterized, the drivers of plant stoichiometry were explored in a subtropical artificial grassland, SW China. Wilcoxon test showed that grazing intensity significantly changed the response of soil OC, TN, AN, AP, AK, pH, OC: TN, AN: AP, AN: AK, AP: AK, and AP: AK. Grazing intensity changed the response in N, ASH, EE, ADF, P, N: P, N: P, N: Ca and P: Ca of plant. Path analysis showed the effect of grazing intensity on the stoichiometric ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus in plant community was achieved through the removal of herbivores. Our research provides some mechanistic understanding of grazing management of subtropical grassland, and also provides new insights and useful reference for the protection and utilization of grassland in Guizhou Plateau.