Soil nitrogen and carbon determine the trade-off of the above- and below-ground biomass across alpine grasslands, Tibetan Plateau

The objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the trade-offs between the aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) due to environmental factors in alpine grasslands, including alpine steppes and alpine meadows , on the Tibetan Plateau . We assessed transect surveys to determine the response threshold and critical determinant of trade-offs. Additionally, a non-significant relationship was observed between trade-offs and climate factors and soil properties when the data for the alpine meadow and alpine steppe were analyzed separately. However, the trade-off between AGB and BGB were increased with soil nitrogen and organic carbon gradients across the alpine grassland. The results demonstrate the trade-off effects of AGB and BGB in alpine grasslands, emphasizing the need for an understanding of how the trade-off is affected by drivers of critical environmental factors at the regional scale. Consequently, trade-offs are an ecological indicator and tool for ecological management and decision-making.