with decreases in total FAs, Ba FAs, PC1 of EEA, and F/B (Figs. 4 and 5a–c). The plant community pathway alone explained 58% of the total variance in root respiration (Fig. 4). The increases in BB, BB/AB, and PR/PB were associated with increases in root respiration (Figs. 4 and 5d–f). In addition, specific root respiration was higher for PR species (Leymus chinensis and Carex korshinskii) than for PB species (Achnatherum sibiricum and Stipa grandis) ( Fig. 5g)