Response of soil physical and chemical properties of zokor mounds to grazing management modes in an alpine meadow

The aim of this study was to analyze zokor (Eospalax baileyi) of different mound ages one-year (ZM1), two-year (ZM2), three-year (ZM3), and Multi-year (ZMM) and control meadow (CM) under four grazing management modes (rotational grazing (RG), growing season grazing (GSG), continuous grazing (CG), and prohibition grazing (PG). The study was performed to evaluate the effects of grazing on soil physicochemical properties during the succession of zokor mounds and provides references for grazing management in alpine meadow. The results showed that GSG significantly increased the soil water content of ZM2 and ZM3 in 0 − 10 cm layers compared with PG. In addition, total nitrogen content of ZM3 in 0 − 10, 10 − 20, and 20 − 30 cm layers significantly increased (P < 0.05), respectively. Compared with CG, GSG significantly increased the total phosphorus content of ZM1 and ZM2 in 0 − 10 cm layers (P < 0.05), and RG significantly increased the soil C/N ratio of ZM2 in 0 − 10 cm and 10 − 20 cm layers (P < 0.05), respectively. Structural equation model analysis revealed that different management regimes had a positive effect on the soil water content, total nitrogen, and organic carbon of ZM3 and had positive effects on soil organic carbon and C/N ratio of ZMM. Therefore, GSG can better restore the soil nutrient content of zokor mounds compared with other grazing management modes.