Research Data

Grazing practices significantly influence soil carbon dynamics in alpine meadows, with potential implications for carbon sequestration on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Although previous studies have investigated the effects of grazing on soil properties, limited studies have explored how grazing prohibition (GP) specifically impacts soil carbon accumulation and related enzyme activity over extended periods in this region. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the effects of 6 years of GP on the vegetation community, soil physicochemical properties, and enzyme activities associated with the carbon cycle in winter alpine meadows on the QTP. This study aimed to assess whether GP enhances soil carbon storage by increasing the levels of organic matter, nutrients, and enzyme activities, thus creating a favorable environment for soil carbon accumulation. Our results revealed that GP significantly raised community biomass, soil total carbon, total nitrogen, and reactive organic carbon, while reducing the phenolic content in vegetation, which supports carbon preservation. Enhanced enzyme activities, particularly of β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase further contributed to carbon retention. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it highlights grazing prohibition as an effective strategy to enhance soil carbon sequestration in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.