Abstract Introduction The alpine meadows of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau have degraded due to the impacts of climate change and overgrazing, manifesting as a decline in high‐quality grasses, expansion of low‐value weeds, and soil impoverishment. Current vegetation restoration relies on seeding, but the inadequate supply of native high‐quality grass seeds limits the effectiveness of restoration efforts. Objective To address the critical shortage of suitable native grass seeds for grassland ecological restoration and to improve low soil nutrient status. Methods This study investigated the effect of combinations of a broadleaf weed inhibitor (0, 0.9, 1.5, and 2.1 kg/hm 2 ) and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg/hm 2 ) on plant community structure and soil fertility in the alpine meadows. Results The application of inhibitors promoted the growth and reproduction of high‐quality grasses by suppressing competitive forbs, shifting the dominant species from forbs to grasses and sedges, and significantly increasing aboveground biomass (AGB) of dominant grass species. The interaction between the inhibitor and nitrogen fertilizer increased the height, cover, and AGB of grasses by 39, 78, and 167%, respectively, while reducing these attributes in forbs by 46, 93, and 97%, compared to the control. Moreover, the combined application significantly enhanced soil fertility. Conclusions The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution multi‐criteria decision model indicated that the inhibitor concentration of 2.1 kg/hm 2 with nitrogen application rate of 225 kg/hm 2 achieved the highest overall score. This approach provides an effective strategy for fostering ecological sustainability of the alpine meadows on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau.
Lu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.