Effects of short-term warming and grazing on soil microbial communities in saline-alkaline grasslands of northern China

IntroductionSoil microbial communities play a central role in material cycling and energy transformation within grassland ecosystems. Alterations in their community structure, diversity, and function directly influence soil ecological functions and ecosystem stability. Global warming exerts persistent environmental pressure on soil microbial communities by modifying soil water and thermal conditions. As a widespread form of human disturbance, grazing interacts with warming to potentially exert c