To determine the adaptive strategies of different plant species to stocking rates, the leaf anatomical characteristics (total leaf thickness、upper and lower epidermis cells area、mesophyll thickness or area、upper and lower cuticle thickness) and their chemical components (total C、total N、fiber and chlorophyll content) of seven species (Melissitus rutenica, Agropyron cristatum, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Artemisia frigida,Caragana microphylla, Potentilla acaulis, Leymus chinensis) were studied under 15-year different stocking rates at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station in summer 2006. The results showed that the cuticle thickness of these seven species increased with stocking rate increase, while other leaf anatomical features had inconsistent response to stocking rates. Higher stocking rate did not affect leaf total C, total N, fiber and chlorophyll contents for A. cristatum，A. frigida and L. chinensis, whereas it decreased significantly SLA (specific leaf area) of C. squarrosa and chlorophyll content of C. microphylla and P. acaulis. It increased total N of M. rutenica, fiber content of C. squarrosa compared with no-grazing. Therefore, the effects of different stocking rates on plants are species-specific. Some indicators, such as cuticle thickness, area of epidermis cells, leaf thickness and mid rib thickness, are most sensitive to grazing.