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Grassland degradation has been caused by overgrazing in Inner Mongolia. Previous studies revealed the effect of grazing pressure on the vegetation and soil. However, that of different land use types (i.e., grazing and mowing) has not been fully understood, though land use has been dramatically changed from grazing to mowing after land contract system was introduced in 1996. The objective of this study, therefore, was to evaluate that effect on the vegetation and soil. We conducted vegetation and soil surveys in the control (where grazing has been prohibited for 15 years), mowing (where land use was changed from grazing to mowing about 20 years ago), grazing (where land use is grazing for the last 20 years) plots in Hulunbuir grassland, Inner Mongolia. We found that (1) plant coverage rate, above-ground biomass, and number of plant spices were approximately control >mowing >grazing, (2) for the soils of A1 horizon, bulk density was mowing almost equal grazing >control, pH was control almost equal mowing >grazing, organic carbon and total nitrogen contents were control >mowing >grazing, and soil respiration rate was control almost equal mowing >grazing. These results showed the severe vegetation and soil degradation in the grazing plot and certain level of vegetation degradation in the mowing plot, but limited soil degradation in the mowing plot. However, soil in the mowing plot seems to be on the road to degradation since most above-ground biomass is not returned to the soil as well as in the grazing plot. This study provides important information for the appropriate management of the grassland in Inner Mongolia.
