放牧家畜组合对高寒草地植物群落特征及生产力的影响

为明晰中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合如何调控高寒草地地上净初级生产力,进而提高高寒草地管理水平,本研究以青藏高原东端高寒草地为对象,设置中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合样地(牦牛、藏羊单独放牧及1∶2混合放牧)和不放牧样地,分析了不同放牧家畜组合下高寒草地植物群落特征、土壤理化性质及地上净初级生产力变化。结果表明：不同放牧家畜组合对物种丰富度与多样性指数无显著影响,但显著降低高寒草地植物群落的高度与盖度,并改变功能群重要值占比;藏羊单独放牧显著增加高寒草地土壤速效氮、磷含量以及土壤容重;放牧弱化高寒草地植物多样性对地上净初级生产力的调控作用并加强土壤环境因子的作用强度;牦牛、藏羊混合放牧时高寒草地地上净初级生产力、家畜采食量均最高。为提升高寒草地管理水平,建议基于中等放牧强度进行牦牛、藏羊适宜比例的混合放牧,采用植被-家畜-土壤耦合管理方式以实现高寒草地生态功能维持与可持续利用。     

放牧方式影响高寒草地矮生嵩草种子大小与数量的关系

种子大小和种子数量变异是植物适合度研究的核心问题, 探究不同大型草食动物对嵩草(Kobresia spp.)草地优势种种子大小与数量的影响, 有助于了解其繁殖策略和种群更新机制。该研究依托青藏高原高寒草地-家畜系统适应性管理技术平台, 对不放牧(对照)、牦牛单牧、藏羊单牧、牦牛藏羊1:2混牧、牦牛藏羊1:4混牧、牦牛藏羊1:6混牧6个放牧处理下矮生嵩草(K. humilis)的种子大小和数量特征, 种子大小和数量与生殖性状的关系, 种子大小和数量的权衡关系进行研究。结果显示: 1)放牧处理增加矮生嵩草种子大小15%以上, 增加种子数量30%以上; 除了牦牛藏羊1:2混牧处理, 其他放牧处理与对照相比种子大小变异系数降低15%以上, 种子数量变异系数降低25%以上。2) Pearson相关分析结果显示, 放牧处理下矮生嵩草种子数量、种子大小与生殖相关性状均呈正相关关系。3)放牧处理增加了矮生嵩草种子大小与数量的权衡, 单条生殖枝质量是影响种子大小与数量权衡的重要性状。研究表明, 即使是中度放牧, 家畜依旧是矮生嵩草资源获取的限制性因子; 长期的放牧改变了矮生嵩草性状间的潜在联系和权衡关系, 稳定了种子大小和种子数量特征, 并通过提高种子大小和种子数量的方式优化繁殖策略, 提高了子代的竞争力和适合度。     

不同强度牦牛放牧对青藏高原高寒草地土壤和植物生物量的影响

放牧作为家畜饲养方式之一,是草地最简单、有效的利用方式,放牧中的家畜对草地生态系统的影响是全球畜牧生态学研究的焦点。过度放牧导致草地退化严重,虽然在青藏高原地区已有较多放牧对草地影响的研究,但探究连续4年放牧对高寒草地生态系统影响的定位实验却鲜见报道。本研究在青藏高原东缘选取典型高寒草地,使用高原特有且分布最广的牦牛作为大型草食放牧家畜,设置了4个牦牛放牧强度（禁牧：无放牧、轻牧：1头/hm²、中牧：2头/hm²和重牧：3头/hm²）以研究其对高寒草地土壤和植物功能的影响。开展4年试验后的结果表明：放牧条件下土壤含水率显著增加;而土壤容重、全磷和有机质含量对放牧强度均无显著性响应;土壤全氮和pH的响应主要在表层0-20 cm,其中全氮为轻牧和重牧处理分别显著高于中牧,中牧处理下的土壤pH为显著高于轻牧;土壤全钾含量在禁牧处理中显著高于放牧处理;而土壤有效氮和速效钾均为中牧处理显著高于禁牧;放牧可以显著降低植物地上生物量。牦牛放牧强度显著影响土壤含水率、有效养分和植物地上生物量,而对其它土壤理化性质影响较弱。本研究结果揭示放牧对高寒草地土壤理化性质和植物地上生物量的影响,为青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统保护、可持续管理和合理放牧率提供理论依据。     

退化草原冷蒿群落13年不同放牧强度后的植物多样性

放牧过程通过家畜的啃食、践踏干扰草原环境,使草原的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替。对退化草原中的冷蒿群落在经历13a不同放牧强度——无牧（0．00只羊,hm^2）、轻牧（1．33只羊／hm^2）、中牧（4．00只羊／hm^2）、重牧（6．67只羊,hm^2）的围栏放牧后的植物群落多样性进行研究,结果表明：经过13a的演替变化,（1）无牧处理下植被密度显著低于其它3个放牧处理下的植被密度,而其它3个放牧处理之间的植被密度差异不显著;（2）无牧处理下羊草成为群落的优势种,轻牧和中牧处理下冷蒿依然是群落的优势种。这3种处理下寸草苔的种群密度最大;重牧处理下优势种变为星毛委陵菜,并且其种群密度最大;随着放牧强度增加,不同放牧退化阶段指示植物的种群密度的变化趋势是：冷蒿为先增大后减小,而星毛委陵菜为先急剧增大,然后平缓增大,最后再急剧增大;（3）植物多样性和均匀度指数在中牧处理下最大,在无牧处理下最小,说明中牧处理下群落的多样性最高,无牧处理下群落的多样性最小。而优势度指数正相反。植物群落结构和多样性的变化主要是由放牧家畜选择性采食、不同植物对放牧响应的不同策略、植物种间的竞争、动植物协同进化以及由放牧改变的土壤理化性质等因素综合决定的。此研究有助于进一步认识退化草原在继续放牧干扰下的演替规律以及为退化草原的保护和恢复提供理论依据。     

不同放牧与围封高寒灌丛草地土壤微生物群落结构PLFA分析

土壤微生物群落可以指示土壤质量变化,是土壤生态系统变化的预警及敏感指标。采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)分析方法研究了高寒杜鹃灌丛草地不同强度放牧及围封后,土壤微生物群落结构特征的变化规律和响应。结果显示,高寒杜鹃灌丛草地土壤总PLFA量、细菌生物量、真菌生物量和放线菌生物量均随着放牧强度的增大而显著降低(P0.05)。重牧灌丛草地,围封后的土壤总PLFA量、细菌生物量、放线菌生物量、G~+/G~-和压力指数显著高于放牧处理,而细菌/真菌比显著低于放牧处理;中牧灌丛草地,围封后的土壤总PLFA量、细菌生物量、细菌/真菌比显著高于放牧处理,而真菌生物量和压力指数显著低于放牧处理;轻牧灌丛草地,围封处理的土壤各生物量和生物量比值与放牧处理无显著差异。PLFA主成分分析表明:主成分一(PC1)主要包括14:0、15:0、10Me16:0和18:1ω9c等直链饱和脂肪酸和单不饱和脂肪酸,占PC1的53.68%;主成分二(PC2)主要包括由i16:0、16:1ω7c、i17:0、cy17:0、17:0、18:1ω9t、18:0和cy19:0等支链饱和脂肪酸和环丙烷脂肪酸组成,占PC2的51.34%;各处理样地土壤微生物群落结构相似;围封处理的响应程度大于放牧处理。相关性分析表明,土壤总PLFA量、细菌生物量、真菌生物量和放线菌生物量与土壤有机碳、全氮均呈极显著正相关,细菌/真菌比值与土壤有机碳、全氮呈极显著负相关。以上表明过度放牧降低了高寒灌丛草地土壤微生物活性,显著降低了土壤微生物生物量,适度放牧和围封可维持土壤微生物群落结构的稳定,围封有利于过度放牧草地土壤微生物的恢复。     

不同放牧强度草原休牧后土壤养分和植物群落变化特征

在内蒙古典型草原,对不同放牧率草地休牧3a后的土壤养分空间异质性和植物群落的数量变化特征进行了研究,结果表明：不同放牧率草地休牧3a后,由于维持土壤养分或植被空间格局的匀质化条件消失,土壤养分的空间异质性呈不同程度的增大趋势,随机性因素所占比例增加,其中土壤有机碳、全氮、无机氮、有效磷和有效硫的空间异质性均以0．00羊/hm^2区最大,4．00羊／hm^2区（中牧区）最小,其它样地不同土壤养分指标表现不同的变化特征;群落生物量和群落盖度均表现增加趋势,但群落盖度增加不显著（P〉0．05）,与1998年相比,群落生物量除对照区外均达到了显著性差异（P〈0．05）,与1．33羊／hm^2、4．00羊／hm^2和6．67羊／hm^2相比,O．00羊／hm^2优势植物出现多样化特征;群落的灌丛化与牧压和恢复演替的时间序列高度相关,牧压越小,恢复演替的时间序列越大,群落灌丛化的趋势越明显;1年生植物、羊草、克氏针茅、木地肤、冷蒿（除6．67羊／hm^2）和扁蓿豆（除O．00羊／hm^2）均表现增加趋势,星毛委陵菜则均表现降低趋势;植物群落的生物量、群落高度、群落盖度和群落物种多样性与土壤养分分布均表现一致的正相关关系,但只有植物群落生物量和群落高度与土壤有机碳、全氮、无机氮、土壤有效磷和有效硫相关显著（P〈0．05）。     

高寒草甸冷季牧场牦牛和藏羊粪中植物种子密度和多样性

为明确高寒草甸冷季牧场牦牛粪和藏羊粪中种子含量,研究了天祝东祁连山高寒草甸冷季牧场不同放牧时期牦牛粪和藏羊粪中可萌发植物种子的密度数量和多样性。结果表明,高寒草甸冷季牧场的同一放牧时期,牦牛粪中种子的物种数高于藏羊粪;种子密度牦牛粪低于藏羊粪,放牧初期和末期差异不显著,放牧中期差异显著。放牧初期和末期牦牛粪中种子的Shannon指数显著高于藏羊粪,放牧中期差异不显著。牦牛粪中的种子物种数为:末期初期中期;藏羊粪为:初期末期中期。单位重量牦牛粪中的种子数量变化规律是:末期初期中期,藏羊粪为:中期末期初期。牦牛粪中所含莎草科的植物种子最多,而藏羊粪中则以杂类草为主。高寒草甸冷季牧场不同放牧时期草地状况的不同,使得草地贮草量和种子在草层内的分布不同,加之牦牛和藏羊各自采食习性、单口采食量的差异,以及牦牛和藏羊消化道对种子的消化率不同,最终导致牦牛和藏羊粪便中的种子密度、种类和多样性存在差异。     

高寒草甸物种多样性对藏系牧羊放牧行为的影响

为探究草原植物物种多样性对家畜放牧行为的影响及其机制,在青藏高原高寒草甸开展藏系牧羊轮牧试验,调查植被物种多样性,观察藏系牧羊采食速率、觅食速率和采食时间,并计算藏系牧羊日采食量。结果表明：两年间,植物物种丰富度与藏系牧羊采食速率呈显著正相关关系（P<0.05）;觅食速率、采食时间和日采食量对放牧率响应敏感（P<0.05）,呈夏秋增冬春减的趋势。植物Shannon-Wiener指数与藏系牧羊的采食时间显著负相关（P<0.05）;在暖季或8羊/hm²放牧率下植物Shannon-Wiener指数与藏系牧羊日采食量呈显著正相关（P<0.05）。Pilelou均匀度指数与藏系牧羊采食速率和采食时间显著负相关（P<0.05）;在暖季或8羊/hm²放牧率下Pilelou均匀度指数与藏系牧羊日采食量呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。植物物种丰富度对藏系牧羊放牧行为贡献较大,且放牧藏系牧羊的采食速率和采食时间比觅食速率和日采食量对植物物种丰富度响应更敏感,以用植物物种丰富度为自变量可以更好预测藏系牧羊放牧行为。放牧管理通过影响植被物种多样性从而进一步影响了藏系牧羊放牧行为。放牧行为不仅是评价草地营养价值和家畜生产力的关键指标,也是草地健康管理的基础。因此,明确草原植物物种多样性-藏系牧羊放牧行为的互作机制有助于更好的提高藏系牧羊地生产力,维护草原生态健康。     

藏北高寒草地植被和土壤对不同放牧强度的响应

放牧压力在时间和空间的不均衡分布导致局部土地过度利用和生态退化,然而当前对放牧强度的量化多采用替代性指标或对照试验,缺乏直接监测数据,也缺乏不同草地类型对放牧强度变化的响应差异性研究。以西藏自治区那曲市为研究区,利用佩戴式GPS牛羊定位器构建高精度放牧轨迹数据集模拟放牧强度,构建栅格尺度放牧强度空间分布和划分方法,结合草地群落样方调查,通过Duncan法（Duncan''s multiple comparative analysis）进行多重比较分析,探究自由放牧模式下高寒草甸和高寒草原两类区域植被和土壤对不同放牧强度的响应方式及差异性。本研究可为放牧行为环境效应监测提供新思路,并根据不同草地状况因地制宜提出放牧优化管理策略,助力高寒传统牧区的可持续发展。主要结论有：1）随着放牧强度的增大,高寒草原地上生物量先升高后降低,高强度放牧对高寒草原植被的影响大于高寒草甸。2）高放牧强度下,高寒草原土壤水分显著高于中低强度,高寒草甸土壤容重显著低于低强度。可能原因是放牧压力多集聚于水源附近。高寒草原区土壤的砂粒含量随放牧强度的增大而增加。放牧强度的增大导致草甸上层土壤有机质增加,草甸下层、草原上层、草原下层土壤有机质先增加后减小。草甸上下层土壤全磷含量在低放牧强度下显著低于中高强度。3）植被土壤变化受到自然因子和放牧活动的共同影响。高寒草甸更加耐牧,高强度放牧对高寒草原的负面影响更大,而中度放牧有利于草地尤其是高寒草原的放牧利用。4）放牧生态系统是一个环境-植物-家畜自适应系统。在放牧管理中不能仅通过控制载畜量缓解草地超载,还需要综合考虑生态系统的弹性及各营养级的适应性,合理配置放牧强度,控制季节性超载和局部超载。     

科尔沁沙质草地放牧和围封条件下的土壤种子库

该文研究了科尔沁沙质草地在放牧和围封条件下土壤种子库密度、组成及其与地上植被的关系。结果表明:1)放牧草地植物种数22种,围封草地植物种数30种,围封使土壤种子库植物种数增加了36%;2)放牧草地土壤种子库密度为16 149±1 900有效种子数·m^-2, 围封草地土壤种子库密度为20 657±3 342有效种子数·m^-2,比放牧草地增加了28%。放牧和围封草地种子库组成密度均以一年生植物为主(分别占99%和98%的比例),多年生植物所占的比例很小;3)放牧草地种子库的Shannon-Wiener指数和丰富度指数分别为0.836 3和4.954 9,明显小于围封草地的0.968 2和7.226 0,表明自由放牧导致物种多样性下降;4)放牧和围封草地土壤种子库密度与地上植被密度均存在显著的相关性(p<0.001)。表明了随着土壤种子库密度的增加, 地上植被密度随之增加,放牧草地地上植被密度78%的变异可归结为土壤种子库密度的变异, 而围封草地地上植被密度58%的变异可由土壤种子库密度的变异来解释。     

Yaks and sheep trigger different changes in the grasshopper assemblages of the Qilian Mountains via differentially altering plant assemblages

1. The Qilian Mountains represent one of the key livestock‐raising grasslands in China. The two main herbivore species raised in this area – yaks and sheep – are of critical economical value. Grasshoppers compete with these animals for available nutrients, creating multifaceted relationships between livestock, grasshoppers and plants. A clear understanding of such relationships is lacking and is urgently needed to guide conservation efforts. 2. This study aims to document the effects of yak and sheep grazing on grasshopper assemblages and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of such effects. 3. It is shown here that yaks and sheep impact grasshopper assemblages differently. Grasshopper assemblages exhibited lower density, biodiversity, richness, and evenness of distribution in yak‐grazed pastures than in grazing‐free grasslands. Sheep‐grazed pastures exhibited a dramatically divergent picture, with elevated density, biodiversity and richness, and a slightly decreased evenness of distribution. Grasshoppers were generally larger in grazed pastures than in grazing‐free grasslands, especially in yak‐grazed plots. 4. The present study suggests that differences between yak and sheep pastures in plant assemblage structure and plant traits are probably the underlying forces driving the differences in grasshopper assemblage structure and grasshopper traits, respectively. 5. The study shows that the grasshopper habitat indicator species differ between yak and sheep pastures, raising the possibility that such indicators can be used to monitor grassland usage and degradation in the Qilian Mountains. 6. These results provide novel insights into the dynamic interactions of common domesticated herbivore species, grasshoppers and plants in Qilian Mountains, which augment current knowledge and may ultimately lead to better conservation practices.     

Livestock grazing ingestion suppressed the dominant species population (Stipa aliena) germination: a laboratory experiment

Grazing has an important effect on population dynamics in grassland vegetation. This paper aims at providing information on the impact of livestock ingestion on seed germination in a Tibetan meadow. We conducted a laboratory germination experiment in which Stipa aliena seeds were treated by yak and Tibetan sheep rumen fluids and yak dung extract with undiluted, 1‐fold and 10‐fold diluted solutions. The results showed that seed germinability was restrained in all these treatments. In the control treatment, 66.2% of the seeds germinated, while there was almost no S. aliena germination in the undiluted and 1‐fold diluted solutions of both yak and Tibetan sheep rumen fluids. Yak dung extract had relatively less effect on seed germination. Additionally, the primary effect of rumen fluid seems to be that it kills part of the seeds rather than delaying germination. Seed death may be due to the acidity of the fluid or/and due to the effect of microorganisms in the fluid. The negative effects of livestock digestive juices on S. aliena germination may constitute a mechanism explaining the population dynamics in alpine meadows of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau.     

Carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) richness and functional traits in relation to differently managed grasslands in the Alps

Species richness, composition, and functional traits of carabid beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were studied in relation to different grassland management. Carabid beetles were sampled during the summers 2008 and 2009 by 165 traps located in 11 sites in the central-eastern Italian Alps. Using mixed effect models to account for potential spatial bias, we found that mown grasslands had significantly more species, a lower proportion of wingless species and a lower proportion of species with long larval development than grazed and natural grasslands. Within grazed and mown grasslands, neither cattle density nor number of cuts had any significant effect neither on species richness nor on any of the traits. The influence of grassland management can be summarised as follows: (1) grazing does not change community structure and functional traits compared to natural grasslands; (2) mowing negatively affects the carabid beetle assemblages; (3) the intensity of grazing and of cutting may not affect the structure of species assemblages of ground beetles. Our results support the hypothesis that agroecosystem practices in alpine grasslands influence carabid beetle communities. Specifically, the species with traits typical of undisturbed habitats (low dispersal abilities and long larval development) are more sensitive to perturbations (e.g. cutting). Our suggestion for agricultural and environmental planning and for conservation schemes is that the preservation of natural grasslands (e.g. forest gaps) and the implementation of grazing should be promoted during the planning of agroecosystem mosaics.     

禁牧对西藏亏祖山温性草原主要植物生态位及种间联结的影响

【目的】揭示禁牧处理对西藏亏祖山温性草原优势植物群落中主要植物物种的生态位和种间联结的影响,为青藏高原温性草原植物多样性保护和科学管理提供理论依据。【方法】采用“Levins”方法、方差比率法(V_r)、卡方检验、联结系数(A_c)和Ochiai(O_i)指数,对亏祖山温性草原优势植物群落中的8个主要植物物种进行分析。【结果】(1)禁牧增加了草沙蚕(Tripogon bromoides)、高山嵩草(Carex parvula)、白草(Pennisetum flaccidum)和丝颖针茅(Stipa capillacea)的生态位宽度和生态位重叠值。(2)研究区内禁牧处理的群落总体表现为负关联(V_r=0.43),自然放牧群落总体表现为正关联(V_r=1.21);χ²检验表明8个优势物种所组成的28个种对在禁牧和自然放牧处理下分别有67.9%和53.6%的种对表现出负联结性;联结系数A_c值表明,禁牧和自然放牧处理下分别有50%和42.9%的种对均...     

Loss of a large grazer impacts savanna grassland plant communities similarly in North America and South Africa

Large herbivore grazing is a widespread disturbance in mesic savanna grasslands which increases herbaceous plant community richness and diversity. However, humans are modifying the impacts of grazing on these ecosystems by removing grazers. A more general understanding of how grazer loss will impact these ecosystems is hampered by differences in the diversity of large herbivore assemblages among savanna grasslands, which can affect the way that grazing influences plant communities. To avoid this we used two unique enclosures each containing a single, functionally similar large herbivore species. Specifically, we studied a bison (Bos bison) enclosure at Konza Prairie Biological Station, USA and an African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) enclosure in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Within these enclosures we erected exclosures in annually burned and unburned sites to determine how grazer loss would impact herbaceous plant communities, while controlling for potential fire-grazing interactions. At both sites, removal of the only grazer decreased grass and forb richness, evenness and diversity, over time. However, in Kruger these changes only occurred with burning. At both sites, changes in plant communities were driven by increased dominance with herbivore exclusion. At Konza, this was caused by increased abundance of one grass species, Andropogon gerardii, while at Kruger, three grasses, Themeda triandra, Panicum coloratum, and Digitaria eriantha increased in abundance.     

模拟践踏和降水对高寒草甸土壤养分和酶活性的影响

为明晰牦牛和藏羊践踏对高寒草甸的分异影响,通过2年模拟践踏和降水双因子控制试验,研究了践踏和降水对高寒草甸土壤养分和酶活性的影响。研究结果表明,践踏处理提高了0—20 cm土层土壤速效氮和速效钾含量,降低了0—20 cm全磷、脲酶和0—10 cm速效磷、碱性磷酸酶和有机质含量,且适度践踏促进了全氮的矿化。随降水强度的增加,0—30 cm土层土壤全氮和0—20 cm全磷和脲酶活性呈单峰曲线的变化态势,在平水下达到峰值;降水显著降低了0—30 cm土层土壤速效氮、磷、钾和0—10 cm土层土壤全钾含量,对土壤有机质含量无显著影响(P0.05)。同一放牧强度下,藏羊践踏区的土壤养分和酶活性优于牦牛践踏区,但差异不显著(P0.05)。综合可得,家畜的践踏作用促进了土壤氮和钾的矿化,抑制了磷的累积且加速了表层土壤有机质的耗竭,降低了土壤脲酶和碱性磷酸酶活性;适度降水提高了土壤全氮、全磷含量及酶活性,降水过多则相反。适度的家畜践踏与降水相耦合下草地土壤的养分循环和酶活性要优于重度践踏和不践踏小区。在对草地的适度放牧利用前提下,应注重土壤含水量和放牧畜种对草地的影响。草地干旱或土壤含水量过高时,应适当减少放牧畜种中牦牛比例增加藏羊比例,以期使草地得到健康可持续发展。     

Grazing buffers the effect of climate change on the species diversity of seedlings in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Climate change predominated by warming over the past decades has affected plant biodiversity, distribution, and ecosystem functioning in alpine grasslands. Yet, little is known about the interactive effect of climate change and grazing on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Here, we conducted a vegetation translocation experiment (ten soil‐vegetation blocks were translocated from high‐altitudinal site 3,245 m to low‐altitudinal site 3,045 m) combined with grazing treatment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that (a) translocation induced effect of climate change from harsh, high‐altitudinal site to benign, low‐altitudinal site significantly promoted species richness, and density of asexual and sexual seedling, with an increase in the proportion of asexual recruitment to sexual recruitment; (b) grazing decreased the proportion of asexual seedling to sexual recruitment within community, led to a shift in the dominant plant functional groups from graminoids and legumes to forbs; and (c) grazing partly offset the increased species richness of seedling, but not seedling density, induced by climate change. These findings suggest that moderate grazing may buffer the effect of climate change on the plant community composition, and thus, functional role in alpine meadows. Further understanding the influence of climate change on grassland ecosystems needs to consider the non‐additive effect of grazing and climate change to sustainability of grassland services.     

Moderate grazing increased alpine meadow soils bacterial abundance and diversity index on the Tibetan Plateau

The response of grassland soil bacterial community characteristics to different grazing intensities is central ecological topics. However, the underlying mechanisms between bacterial abundance, diversity index, and grazing intensity remain unclear. We measured alpine meadow soil bacterial gene richness and diversity index under four grazing intensities using 16S rDNA sequence analysis on the Tibetan Plateau. The results suggest that extreme grazing significantly decreased alpine meadow both bacterial gene abundance and diversity index (p < .05). The lowest operational taxonomic unit numbers were 3,012 ± 447 copies under heavy grazing in the growing season. It was significantly lower than heavy grazing with approximately 3,958 ± 119 copies (p < .05). The Shannon index for medium and high grazing grassland bacterial diversity was slightly higher than for light grazing in the growing season. Furthermore, the lowest index was approximately 9.20 ± 0.50 for extreme grazing of grassland in the growing season. The average bacterial gene abundance and diversity index in the dormancy period were slightly higher than that in the growing season. Soil bulk density, pH, ammonium, and nitrate nitrogen were the main positive factors driving grazed grassland bacterial communities. Our study provides insight into the response of alpine meadows to grazing intensity, demonstrating that moderate grazing increases bacterial community diversity in grazed grasslands.