2026-04-01 AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT 2026 399(卷), null(期), (null页)
The rhizosphere represents the most active zone in soil, characterized by intense interactions between plant roots and microorganisms. These interactions result in significant rhizosphere effects (REs) that regulate the microenvironment, facilitating environmental stress adaptation of plants. However, the response of REs to grazing remains unclear. This study utilized four paired grazed and ungrazed sites in semiarid steppes to investigate alterations of REs on microbial communities and soil multifunctionality under both grazed and ungrazed conditions. Our results indicated that grazing enhanced rhizosphere-driven nutrient cycling despite lowering overall soil multifunctionality. Furthermore, this enhancement was closely linked to changes in microbial community composition. These findings underscore the critical role of shifts in microbial life-history strategies in mediating RE on soil multifunctionality and contribute to a better understanding of plant adaptation strategies under grazing pressure.