Appendix S1 Basic Information of Plant Species from Different Grasslands

Dataset on the Ecological stoichiometry of N:P:Si in China’s grasslands complied by Zhaoliang Song, Hongyan Liu, Yuying Zhao School of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, China

Appendix S1 Basic information of plant species from different grasslands

Grassland type / Phylum / Class / Species / Life form / Ecotype / Photosynthetic Pathway
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa purpurea / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa capillacea / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa subsessiliflora / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa aliena / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Reaumuria brevipes / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Pennisetum flaccidum / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Orinus thoroldii / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Achnatherum hookeri / Perennial herb / Mesophyte
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex moorcroftii / Rhizoma perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Thermopsis lanceolata / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Artemisia wellbyi / Perennial semi-shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Kobresia pygmaea / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Kobresia sp. / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Alpine steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Stellera chamaejasme / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa glareosa / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Cleistogenes mutiea / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Cleistogenes squarrosa / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Reaumuria soongorica / Perennial shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Heteropappus altaicus / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Chloris virgata / Annual herb / Mesophyte / C4
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Ceratoides arborescens / Semi-shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Ceratoides latens / Semi-shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Caragana pygmaea / Shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Desert steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Caragana stenaophylla / Shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa grandis / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa krylovii / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Cleistogenes squarrosa / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Salsola collina / Annual herb / Xerophyte / C4
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Blysmus rufus / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Calamagrostis Adans / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Psammochloa villosa / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex korshinskyi / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex pediformis / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Artemisia campestris / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Ajania parviflora / Perennial herb / Xerophyte
Typical steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Caragana microphylla / Shrub / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Aneurolepidium chinense / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Stipa baicalensis / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Bothriochloa ischaemum / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Poa sphondylodes / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Potentilla longifolia / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Thalictrum squarrosum / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Herba Sonchi Brachyoti / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Chloris virgata / Annual herb / Mesophyte / C4
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex duriuscula / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Astragalus scaberrimus / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Astragalus galactites / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Meadow steppe / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Medicago falcata / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Achnatherum splendens / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Aeluropus littoralis / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Calamagrostis pseudophragmites / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Calystegia soldanella / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex duriuscula / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Carex kobomugi / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Chenopodium glaucum / Annual herb / Xerophyte / C4
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Chloris virgata / Annual herb / Mesophyte / C4
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Salicornia europaea / Annual herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Triglochin striata / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Temperate meadow / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Xanthium sibiricum / Annual herb / Mesophyte / C3
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Scirpus planiculmis / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Scirpus tabernaemontani / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Eleocharis sp. / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Typha angustifolia / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Potamogeton pectinatus / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Potamogeton crispus / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Monochoria korsakowii / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Sagittaria trifolia / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C4
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Sparganium stoloniferum / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Marsh / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Phragmites communis / Perennial herb / Hydrophyte / C3
Marsh / Angiospermae / Dicotyledoneae / Youngia simulatrix / Perennial herb / Mesophyte
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Filicinae / Adiantum capillus-veneris / Perennial herb / C3
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Leptosporangiopsida / Adiantum caudatum / Perennial herb / C3
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Filicinae / Adiantum flabellulatum / Perennial herb / C3
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Leptosporangiopsida / Blechnum orientale / Perennial herb / C3
Tropical grasslands / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Eulalia speciosa / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C4
Tropical grasslands / Angiospermae / Monocotyledoneae / Heteropogon contortus / Perennial herb / Xerophyte / C4
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Filicopsida / Hicriopteris glauca / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3
Tropical grasslands / Pteridophyta / Leptosporangiopsida / Woodwardia unigemmata / Perennial herb / Mesophyte / C3

Shown above is only a small portion of the dataset. For those who are interested in these data, please contact Zhaoliang Song (), or Hongyan Liu ().

Appendix S2 Climatic and chemical data of plant samples from different grasslands

Grassland type / Species / Sampling site / MAT (°C) / MAP (mm) / N (wt.%) / P (wt.%) / Si (wt.%) / Data source
Alpine steppe / Stipa purpurea
Alpine steppe / 5732 North Wutang, Tibet / 3 / 200 / 1.04 / 0.05 / 2.79 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3033 Bange, Tibet / -1.2 / 310 / 0.07 / 1.42 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3061 Heihe, Tibet / -2.2 / 400 / 0.13 / 0.72 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3062 Heihe, Tibet / -2.2 / 400 / 0.06 / 0.84 / 1
Alpine steppe / Stipa subsessiliflora var.basiplumosa
Alpine steppe / 5738 North Wutang, Tibet / 3 / 200 / 2.21 / 0.05 / 2.59 / 1
Alpine steppe / 5339 North Wutang, Tibet / 3 / 200 / 1.07 / 0.03 / 4.36 / 1
Alpine steppe / Stipa aliena
Alpine steppe / 2836 Heihe, Tibet / -2.2 / 400 / 0.09 / 0.38 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3060 Heihe, Tibet / -2.2 / 400 / 0.12 / 0.35 / 1
Alpine steppe / Reaumuria brevipes
Alpine steppe / 2836 Baqing County, Tibet / 1 / 503 / 0.24 / 0.85 / 1
Alpine steppe / 5743 Shenzha County, Tibet / 0.4 / 299 / 0.86 / 0.06 / 1.89 / 1
Alpine steppe / Orinus thoroldu
Alpine steppe / 5741 Gaize County, Tibet / -4 / 190 / 0.88 / 0.04 / 1.14 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3093 Rikaze, Tibet / 4.8 / 290 / 0.17 / 1.75 / 1
Alpine steppe / 3078Rikaze, Tibet / 4.8 / 290 / 1.41 / 1
Desert steppe / Stipa glareosa
Desert steppe / 2768 North Xinjiang / 7.3 / 294 / 1.43 / 0.14 / 1.81 / 1
Desert steppe / 4323 Alashan, Inner Mongolia / 7.2 / 150 / 0.13 / 1.96 / 1
Desert steppe / Cleistogenes squarrosa
Desert steppe / Desert steppe I / 3.4 / 142 / 1.64 / 0.13 / 1.41 / This study
Desert steppe / Desert steppe III / 3.4 / 142 / 1.69 / 0.15 / 1.65 / This study
Desert steppe / Desert steppe IV / 3.4 / 142 / 1.52 / 0.12 / 1.38 / This study
Desert steppe / Desert steppe V / 3.4 / 142 / 1.77 / 0.16 / 1.70 / This study
Desert steppe / Reaumuria soongoriea
Desert steppe / 907 Xilinguole league ,Inner Mongolia / 1.5 / 295 / 2.70 / 0.18 / 1
Desert steppe / 4250 Alashan, Inner Mongolia / 7.2 / 150 / 0.09 / 0.89 / 1
Desert steppe / 4252 Alashan, Inner Mongolia / 7.2 / 150 / 0.07 / 0.42 / 1
Desert steppe / Chloris virgata
Desert steppe / Desert steppe III / 3.4 / 142 / 1.31 / 0.20 / 2.23 / This study
Desert steppe / Desert steppe III / 3.4 / 142 / 1.56 / 0.27 / 2.59 / This study
Desert steppe / Caragana stenaophylla
Desert steppe / 4244, Bayannaoer League, Inner Mongolia / 5.65 / 188 / 0.15 / 0.57 / 1
Typical steppe / Stipa grandis
Typical steppe / 904 Xilinguole league ,Inner Mongolia / 1.5 / 295 / 1.57 / 0.11 / 1
Typical steppe / Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia / 1.7 / 295 / 1.62 / 0.08 / 0.76 / 2
Typical steppe / Typical steppe IV, Hulunbuir league, Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 1.74 / 0.13 / 0.98 / This study
Typical steppe / Stipa krylovii
Typical steppe / Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia / 1.7 / 295 / 1.64 / 0.09 / 0.99 / 2
Typical steppe / Cleistogenes squarrosa
Typical steppe / 4385 Hulunbuir league, Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.19 / 1.46 / 1
Typical steppe / 4386 Hulunbuir league, Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.15 / 1.72 / 1
Typical steppe / Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia / 1.7 / 295 / 1.61 / 0.08 / 0.84 / 2
Typical steppe / Typical steppe III, Hulunbuir league, Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 1.68 / 0.15 / 1.57 / This study
Meadow steppe / Aneurolepidium chinense
Meadow steppe / 903 Xilinguole league ,Inner Mongolia / 1.7 / 295 / 2.72 / 0.19 / 1
Meadow steppe / 4381 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.22 / 0.77 / 1
Meadow steppe / 4382 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.13 / 0.90 / 1
Meadow steppe / Yuanbaoshan, Inner Mongolia / 3 / 375 / 1.47 / 0.11 / 0.75 / This study
Meadow steppe / Princess Lake, Inner Mongolia / 3 / 375 / 1.94 / 0.21 / 0.51 / This study
Meadow steppe / Shejichang II, Inner Mongolia / -3.1 / 445 / 1.52 / 0.14 / 0.73 / This study
Meadow steppe / Shejichang, Inner Mongolia / -3.1 / 445 / 1.92 / 0.20 / 1.32 / This study
Meadow steppe / SHBTF Taifeng Lake,Saihanba / -1.4 / 438 / 0.21 / 0.74 / This study
Meadow steppe / Stipa baicalensis
Meadow steppe / 2442 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 1.05 / 0.06 / 1.27 / 1
Meadow steppe / 4383 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.14 / 1.21 / 1
Meadow steppe / 4384 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.07 / 1.23 / 1
Meadow steppe / SHB-1 Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 1.01 / 0.13 / 2.32 / This study
Meadow steppe / SHB-2 Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 0.96 / 0.09 / 2.00 / This study
Meadow steppe / Bothriochloa ischaemum
Meadow steppe / 732 Xifeng Town, Shanxi / 13.6 / 570 / 1.03 / 0.10 / 1.95
Meadow steppe / Poa sphondvlodes
Meadow steppe / 4387 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.11 / 1.07 / 1
Meadow steppe / 4388 Hulunbuir league,Inner Mongolia / 0 / 300 / 0.11 / 1.04 / 1
Meadow steppe / SHB-2 Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 1.14 / 0.15 / 1.06 / This study
Meadow steppe / SHB-6 Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 1.07 / 0.16 / 0.96 / This study
Meadow steppe / Hejie, Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 1.19 / 0.22 / 1.40 / This study
Meadow steppe / SHBTF, Hejie, Saihanba, Hebei / -1.4 / 438 / 1.05 / 0.13 / 0.82 / This study