Grazing significantly reduces soil water content in grassland ecosystems in China

In our study, Meta-analysis was used to synthesize the results of 258 experiments that were conducted on the effects of grazing on the soil water content of Chinese grassland ecosystems. The results showed that the average effect value of grazing on the soil water content of 0－30 cm in Chinese grasslands was −0.111, with a reduction of approximately 10.51%, reaching the significance test level. The highest effect of grazing was observed on the 0－10 cm soil layer of topsoil, and the average effect value showed a decreasing trend with the depth of the soil layer. Grazing had the strongest effect on the soil water content of meadow grasslands, typical grasslands and desert grasslands. Four environmental factors, including temperature, precipitation, altitude, and soil bulk density, have the largest contribution rates. Grazing explained 93.90%, 87.66%, and 90.64% of the variation in effect values on 0－10, 10－20, and 20－30 cm soil layers, respectively. Global warming may significantly reduce the soil water content of grazed grasslands, and a light grazing regime is needed to enhance the soil water content of grasslands. Thus, we provide a theoretical basis for elucidating changes in moisture content in grazing grassland ecosystems through this study.