［Objective］ The effects of root traits of grassland plant communities on the soil detachment capacity and the relative contribution of root winding-consolidation and root exudate bonding effects on soil erosion resistance under different grazing intensities were analyzed in order to provide a scientific basis for soil and water conservation efforts in a desert steppe. ［Methods］ The Xilamuren desert steppe in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was evaluated as the research object. Soil detachment scouring experiments were conducted to systematically measure the soil detachment capacity under four treatments： no grazing， light grazing， moderate grazing， and heavy grazing. Root parameters such as the root length and density were calculated. ［Results］ As the grazing intensity increased， the vegetation coverage and biomass of gramineous plants decreased， and the content of fine roots （0—1 mm diameter） significantly decreased. The soil detachment capacity under heavy grazing intensity was 2.5—3.1 folds that of no grazing plots. The soil detachment capacity could be characterized based on the root length density； when the root length density exceeded 0.4 cm/cm³ and root weight density exceeded 0.6 kg/m³， the soil detachment capacity significantly decreased. The contribution rates of the root entanglement-consolidation effects and root exudate binding effects on soil erosion inhibition were 0.65∶0.35. ［Conclusion］ Grazing intensity significantly influenced the soil detachment capacity of the desert steppe， with the root entanglement-consolidation effect playing a key role in this outcome.