Grazing is one of the predominant human activities taking place today inside protected areas, with both direct and indirect effects on the vegetation community. We analyzed the effects of grazing intensity on grass composition during four grazing seasons containing 78 plant species belonging to eight plant functional groups, which include perennial tall grass (6 species), perennial short grass (6 species), shrubs (3 species), legumes (9 species), Liliaceae herb (8 species), annual/biennial plants (11 species), perennial short forbs (16 species) and perennial tall forbs (18 species). We estimated grazing intensity at four levels, control, light, moderate and heavy grazing intensity corresponding to 0.00, 0.23, 0.46 and 0.92 animal units ha⁻¹, respectively. We found that each plant functional group showed a different response to grazing intensity. Perennial tall grasses that were dominated by high palatable mesophyte and mesoxerophyte grass showed a significant decrease with grazing intensity, while the medium palatable xerophyte and widespread grasses that were the predominant short perennial increases with grazing intensity. The perennial tall forbs that were dominated by the mesophyte grass also decreased, but the decrease was statistically insignificant. The influence of grazing density on species is also related to soil factors (soil nutrient, soil moisture and soil temperature and soil bulk density). Some functional groups such as tall fescue and Liliaceae herbs, remained stable—which may be related to the changes in the soil environment caused by grazing activities. The findings of this study could provide a standpoint for assessing the current grazing management scenarios and conducting timely adaptive practices to maintain the long-term ability of grassland systems to perform their ecological functions.

(1) Estimation of grazing livestock intake is the basis for studying animal–plant relationships and the nutritional status of grazing livestock and has important implications for grassland composition and productivity. (2) We used the saturated alkanes method to determine the feed intake and vegetation nutrient digestibility of livestock at different grazing intensities and in different months. (3) We found that C₃₁ had the highest concentration in both pasture and fecal output, and the average recovery of C₃₁ was 77.99%. The different grazing intensities significantly affected livestock intake. As the grazing intensity increased, there was a decreasing trend of livestock intake and the highest livestock feed intake was 6.11 kg DM/day in light grazing. With the increase in grazing season months, the highest livestock intake was 6.67 kg DM/day in the cold period in September. The month also had a significant effect on the digestibility of livestock for all nutrient variables when compared to the grazing intensity. Livestock weight and medium palatability species are more important for livestock intake. (4) Our study provides a more accurate measurement of grazing livestock intake, which can be used as a reference for the scientific management of grazing livestock and the rational use of grazing pastures.

The management practices required for grazing management will continue to increase, as necessitated by the reported rate of reduction in productivity, coupled with the degradation of Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystems. The current study was conducted to (i) examine the responses of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) to different grazing intensities and its relationship with soil factors and (ii) study the effects of grazing intensity on herbage growth and dry matter intake in Hulunber grasslands, Northeastern China. Six grazing rate treatments (G0.00, G0.23, G0.34, G0.46, G0.69, and G0.92 animal unit (AU ha⁻¹) for zero, two, three, four, six, and eight young cows with ranging weight of 250–300 kg/plot), with three replications, were established during two consecutive growing seasons in 2017 and 2018. Our study concentrated on the grazing-induced degradation processes by different intensities of grazing. The highest decrease in aboveground biomass (AGB) was 64.1% and 59.3%, in 2017 and 2018, respectively, by the G0.92 treatment as compared with the G0.00 treatment. There was a positive relationship between yearly precipitation and ANPP. The grazing tolerance and growth rate of forage were higher in the wet year than in the dry year. Understanding the ecological consequences of grazing intensity provides useful information for assessing current grazing management scenarios and taking timely adaptation measures to maintain grassland capacity in a short and long-term system.

This study was conducted in Um "Nabag" (15km north of "Bara"), "Dilling" (160km south of "Elobeid") and "Eldemiokya" (30km east of "Elobeid"). The main objective of this study is to assess the effect of grazing on growth performance of natural rangelands in Kordofan region. The specific objectives: To assess the effect of grazing level on vegetation frequency. The results showed different levels of grazing intensity at different sites as indicated by plants frequency and biomass. Intensive grazing levels were found at Bara in the north, early and late in the rainy season but in Dilling it was not found in the late in the rainy season for both seasons (2008 and 2009) which indicated longer stay of herders in "Bara" area as a rainy season residences. Frequency of the species between non- grazed and grazed areas showed a decrease for the two seasons especially for preferred species at the different sites as in the case of Eragrostis termula and Cenchrus biflorus in (2008 ),Similar results were observed in (2009) with Fimbirsty dichotomo and Cenchrus biflorus. The study recommended that grazing level can be used as practical mean to assess utilization level as expressed by growth performance indicators including frequency. Level (II) is expected to result in negative impact on rangeland plants growth performance.