The targeting of suitable mixed grass species and seeding rates of native grass seed in the process of ecological restoration in alpine mining areas is unclear. Four kinds of native grass seed (Poa pratensis cv. Qinghai, Poa crymophila cv. Qinghai, Puccinellia tenuiflora cv. Tongde and Pedicularis kansuensis) were selected as experimental materials to set up mixed sowing tests in the Muli mining area, which were analyzed for changes in plant coverage, biomass, forage nutrient composition, and soil physicochemical properties under different mixed grass species and seeding rates, aiming to provide a data reference and theoretical basis for the screening of suitable mixed grass species and seeding rates for artificial grassland planting in alpine mining areas. The results showed that the mixed grass species and seeding rate (HF) of Poa pratensis cv. Qinghai + Poa crymophila cv. Qinghai + Puccinellia tenuiflora cv. Tongde + Pedicularis kansuensis had the highest vegetation coverage (97.33%). At the same time, the aboveground biomass of HF was the largest (356.27 g·m⁻²). The soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium of HF increased by 37.05%, 28.11%, 34.68%, and 10.14%, respectively, compared with CK, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis was carried out on 23 indexes of vegetation and soil. It was found that nine indexes, including coverage, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, soluble sugar, and soil organic matter content, were the key indexes of evaluation. By sorting the membership functions of the above indicators, it was found that among the 12 mixed grass species and seeding rates, the comprehensive evaluation value of HF was the highest (0.848). In summary, it is recommended that the mixed grass species and seeding rate of Poa pratensis cv Qinghai + Poa crymophila cv. Qinghai + Puccinellia tenuiflora cv. Tongde + Pedicularis kansuensis be adopted for ecological restoration in alpine mining areas; this mixed grass species and seeding rate can effectively promote plant growth and development and improve the physicochemical properties of the soil, which can improve the stability and sustainability of the artificial grassland in the alpine mining area.

Modeling the current distribution of and predicting suitable habitats for threatened species support the species conservation and restoration planning process. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to model the actual distribution and predict environmentally suitable habitats for Carex alatauensis S.R.Zhang 2015, a locally threatened native grass species on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. To realize this objective, based on the geographical samples within the natural distribution of C. alatauensis, the dominant climatic factors in its potential distribution range were analyzed using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. The results showed that the average values of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the training data were 0.833 ± 0.044, which indicated that the accuracy of the MaxEnt model was pretty high for modeling potential distribution regions of C. alatauensis. The combined results from the Jackknife test and the presented contribution of environmental variables revealed that the annual precipitation, the growth season precipitation, and the precipitation of the driest month were the key climatic factors that restricted the distribution of C. alatauensis on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. It is predicted that the potential distribution area of C. alatauensis on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is 1.96 × 10⁶ km², and the most suitable area is 3.7 × 10⁵ km², mainly located in the Qilian Mountains, the Himalayas, and the Qingtanggula Mountains.

To target the lack of suitable grass species in the ecological restoration process of the Muli mining area, nine ecological grass species of Gramineae, Gentianaceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Ranunculaceae were selected as experimental materials to simulate the external alkaline environment for a seed germination test, which could be used to explore the response of seed germination to the environment. At the same time, Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’, Deschampsia cespitosa, Koeleria cristata, and Elymus tangutorum were used as test materials to carry out a variety of comparison and screening tests of suitable seeding rates. The effects of the seeding rate on plant coverage, biomass, forage nutrients, and soil properties were analyzed by a variety of comparison and seeding rate tests. The results showed the following: (1) The relative germination rate of Koeleria cristata, Elymus tangutorum, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’ was more than 70%, and the coverage in the returning green period was more than 60%, which was significantly higher than that of other treatments (p < 0.05) and can better adapt to the environment of the Muli mining area compared to other grass species. Meanwhile, the adaptability of Pedicularis kansuensis, Gentiana macrophylla, and Aconitum pendulum was weak. (2) It was found that when the seeding rate was 9 g·m⁻², the biomass of Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’, Deschampsia cespitos, and Koeleria cristata was the highest, which was 296.45 g·m⁻², 224.32 g·m⁻², and 236.35 g·m⁻², which was significantly higher than that of other treatments (p < 0.05); the aboveground biomass was 356.24 g·m⁻² when the seeding rate of Elymus tangutorum was 18 g·m⁻², which was significantly higher than that of other treatments (p < 0.05). The membership function showed that the comprehensive evaluation value was 0.701, 0.576, 0.610, and 0.673 when the seeding rate of Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’, Deschampsia cespitos, and Koeleria cristata was 9 g·m⁻² and the seeding rate of Elymus tangutorum was 18 g·m⁻². To sum up, it is recommended that the four ecological grass species of Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’, Deschampsia cespitosa, Koeleria cristata, and Elymus tangutorum can be used as the main grass species for ecological restoration in high-altitude and alpine areas such as the Muli mining area, which is affected by an alpine climate and fragile habitats. The optimum sowing rate of Poa pratensis L. ‘Qinghai’, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Koeleria cristata is 9 g·m⁻², and that of Elymus tangutorum is 18 g·m⁻². This cultivation method can effectively promote plant growth and development, improve the physicochemical properties of soil, and is conducive to improving the stability and sustainability of artificial grassland in alpine mining areas.

To address vegetation establishment challenges caused by poor soil in the alpine mining areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Through three-year field experiments, this study systematically investigated the effects of combined EM microbial fertilizer and organic fertilizer application on vegetation community characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, and bacterial community diversity/functional structure in artificial grasslands of alpine mining areas. Key findings include: (1) The synergistic treatment of EM biofertilizer and organic fertilizer significantly improved the physical and chemical properties of soil and the characteristics of vegetation community. The Y2E2 treatment consistently enhanced vegetation community characteristics and soil physicochemical metrics in 2023 and 2024. Compared to the control (CK), it increased soil total nitrogen (TN) by 68.92 and 76.31%, reduced pH by 8.31 and 11.11%, and boosted biomass by 75.97 and 84.02%, confirming its efficacy in alleviating nutrient stress and promoting plant growth. (2) Microbiome analysis revealed that biofertilizer treatments significantly improved soil bacterial community structure. The Y2E2 and Y2E3 showed the highest OTU numbers (2,481 and 2,501 respectively). The Y2E3 increased relative abundance of Actinomycetota (+18.2%) and Acidobacteria (+12.7%) compared to CK (organic fertilizer 0.00 kg m⁻² + EM biofertilizer 0.00 kg m⁻²), while reducing Pseudomonadota (−14.3%). The Y2E2 improved Shannon (2.36%), Ace (6.44%), and Chao1 (5.05%) indices versus CK. Y1E1 exhibited 67.11% positive correlations in microbial co-occurrence networks. (3) Environmental drivers and functional activation: Mantel tests and RDA revealed soil electrical conductivity (SEC) and pH were negatively correlated with bacterial diversity indices (except Simpson). Other soil physical and chemical indexes and plant community indexes are positively correlated with soil bacterial diversity index except Simpson index. Soil pH emerged as the key driver of bacterial community construction. Combined fertilization neutralized alkalinity, activated manganese-oxidizing and photosynthetic microbes, while excessive application triggered heterotroph competition. In summary, the combined application of EM microbial fertilizer and organic fertilizer accelerates biomass accumulation in plant communities by regulating soil pH and improving the structure, function, and diversity of soil bacterial communities. These ecological processes involving plant-soil-microbe interactions expedite the restoration of ecological functions in artificial grasslands within alpine mining areas. Among the treatments, Y2E2 demonstrated the best performance, with an application rate of 600.00 kg of EM biofertilizer per hectare combined with 20.00 tons of organic fertilizer.

Understanding alpine plants’ survival and reproduction is crucial for their conservation in climate change. Based on 423 valid distribution points, this study utilizes the MaxEnt model to predict the potential habitat and distribution dynamics of Leontopodium nanum under both current and future climate scenarios, while clarifying the key factors that influence its distribution. The primary ecological drivers of distribution are altitude (2886.08 m–5576.14 m) and the mean temperature of the driest quarter (−6.60–1.55 °C). Currently, the suitable habitat area is approximately 520.28 × 10⁴ km², covering about 3.5% of the global land area, concentrated mainly in the Tibetan Plateau, with smaller regions across East and South Asia. Under future climate scenarios, low-emission (SSP126), suitable areas are projected to expand during the 2050s and 2070s. High-emission (SSP585), suitable areas may decrease by 50%, with a 66.07% reduction in highly suitable areas by the 2070s. The greatest losses are expected in the south-eastern Tibetan Plateau. Regarding dynamic habitat changes, by the 2050s, newly suitable areas will account for 51.09% of the current habitat, while 68.26% of existing habitat will become unsuitable. By the 2070s, newly suitable areas will rise to 71.86% of the current total, but the loss of existing areas will exceed these gains, particularly under the high-emission scenario. The centroid of suitable habitats is expected to shift northward, with migration distances ranging from 23.94 km to 342.42 km. The most significant shift is anticipated under the SSP126 scenario by the 2070s. This study offers valuable insights into the distribution dynamics of L. nanum and other alpine species under the context of climate change. From a conservation perspective, it is recommended to prioritize the protection and restoration of vegetation in key habitat patches or potential migration corridors, restrict overgrazing and infrastructure development, and maintain genetic diversity and dispersal capacity through assisted migration and population genetic monitoring when necessary. These measures aim to provide a robust scientific foundation for the comprehensive conservation and sustainable management of the grassland ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.