An observation dataset of plant biomass and soil chemical properties to nitrogen addition and precipitation manipulation in an alpine meadow (2017–2024)

Alpine meadow ecosystems are crucial for maintaining the ecological barrier function of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and regional sustainable development, yet they have been experiencing substantial impacts from global change. Elucidating the responses of vegetation and soil to increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition and altered precipitation patterns is fundamental for predicting the evolutionary trajectory of ecological functions in alpine meadows. Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China "Impacts of Global Change on Resource and Environmental Carrying Capacity in Ecologically Fragile Regions", researchers established an interactive experimental platform with nitrogen addition (10 g·m⁻²·a⁻¹) and precipitation manipulation (±50% of ambient precipitation) at the Haibei Alpine Grassland Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station on the southern foothills of the Lenglongling Mountains in the eastern Qilian Mountains, Qinghai Province, China. This platform followed standardized protocols of large-scale global networks. Continuous observations of plant and soil chemical properties were conducted. To advance scientific understanding of the evolution of ecological functions in alpine meadows, the researcher team intends to publicly release this observational dataset documenting the responses of plant biomass and soil chemical properties to nitrogen addition and precipitation manipulation from 2017 to 2024. The dataset includes measurements taken annually during the peak growing season (late August) of aboveground biomass of the plant community and functional groups (grasses, sedges, legumes, forbs), litter biomass, 0–10 cm belowground biomass, 0–10 cm soil organic carbon content, total nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, and soil pH, as well as annual air temperature and annual precipitation. This dataset provides robust data support for evaluating the carbon sequestration function of alpine meadow ecosystems and for process-based carbon sink modeling under scenarios of interacting atmospheric nitrogen deposition and precipitation pattern alteration.