Nitrogen mineralization in grazed BSC subsoil is mediated by itself and vegetation in the Loess Plateau, China.

Biological soil crust (BSC) exists widely in many kinds of grassland, its effect on soil mineralization in grazing systems has well been studied, but the impacts and threshold of grazing intensity on BSC have rarely been reported. This study focused on the dynamics of nitrogen mineralization rate in biocrust subsoils affected by grazing intensity. We studied the changes in BSC subsoil physicochemical properties and nitrogen mineralization rates under four sheep grazing intensities (i.e., 0, 2.67, 5.33, and 8.67 sheep ha) in seasons of spring (May-early July), summer (July-early September), and autumn (September-November). Although this moderate grazing intensity contributes to the growth and recovery of BSCs, we found that moss was more vulnerable to trampling than lichen, which means the physicochemical properties of the moss subsoil are more intense. Changes in soil physicochemical properties and nitrogen mineralization rates were significantly higher under 2.67-5.33 sheep ha than other grazing intensities (Saturation phase). In addition, the structural equation model (SEM) showed that the main response path was grazing, which affected subsoil physicochemical properties through the joint mediation of BSC (25%) and vegetation (14%). Then, the further positive effect on nitrogen mineralization rate and the influence of seasonal fluctuations on the system was fully considered. We found that solar radiation and precipitation all had significant promoting effects on soil nitrogen mineralization rates, the overall seasonal fluctuation has a direct effect of 18% on the rate of nitrogen mineralization. This study revealed the effects of grazing on BSC and the results may enable a better statistical quantification of BSC functions and provide a theoretical basis to formulate grazing strategies in the grazing system of sheep in Loess Plateau even worldwide (BSC symbiosis).