ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Functional Plant Ecology
This article is part of the Research TopicSoil Nutrient–Microbiome Interactions Regulating Plant Functional Responses in Grasslands under Climate and Anthropogenic StressView all articles
Vegetation C: N: P stoichiometry and ecosystem carbon storage under different grazing patterns on the Tibetan Plateau
Provisionally accepted
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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Introduction: Grazing is a significant driver of grassland ecosystems changes, but the relationship between plant functional groups' carbon (C): nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) stoichiometry ratios and ecosystem C storage under different grazing management patterns remains uncertain. Methods: This study investigates alpine meadows on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, comparing four grazing patterns: banned grazing (BG), growing season rest-grazing (RG), traditional rest-grazing (TG), and continuous grazing (CG). We assess the effects of these grazing patterns on plant functional group nutrient, C: N: P stoichiometry, and ecosystem C storage. The results provide valuable insights to support sustainable management strategies in alpine meadow ecosystems. Results and discussion: The results indicated that BG and RG enhanced nutrient enrichment, vegetation, soil, and ecosystem C storage. BG, RG, and TG increased aboveground C: N ratios but decreased C: P and N: P ratios. Grazing patterns indirectly influence ecosystem C storage by regulating plant stoichiometry and biomass allocation among functional groups. AGB of grasses is significantly positively correlated with ecosystem C storage (R² = 0.96), serving as the key driver of changes in C storage. In conclusion, maintaining biomass balance among functional groups and the C: N: P stoichiometry of plants is vital for preserving ecosystem C storage under grazing disturbances. It is essential that future management strategies incorporate these aspects to effectively protect and enhance C sequestration in alpine meadows.
Keywords: Alpine meadow, grazing patterns, Plant functional group, vegetation stoichiometry, ecosystem C storage, tibetan plateau
Received: 22 Jun 2025; Accepted: 29 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 He, Liu, Li and Tong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xiaoni Liu, liuxn@gsau.edu.cn
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