Divergent above- and below-ground vegetation structures regulate SOC storage of grasslands during woody plant expansion

Key Points

• Soil organic carbon storage changes significantly during woody plant expansion, impacting ecosystem health.
• Key metrics reveal that both above-ground and below-ground vegetation structures play crucial roles in carbon storage.
• Analysis of grassland ecosystems highlights the dynamics of vegetation structures during woody plant encroachment.
• Understanding these interactions may help in developing better ecological management practices for grasslands.