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Massive grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP) provide vital ecosystems services, which have been decreased by land degradation associated with global change. Effective efforts and actions of restoration and management are required to promote the sustainable development of these grassland ecosystems with global importance. This special issue collected numerous papers to address share the innovative theoretical foundations and practical approaches for restoring and protecting QTP's grassland ecosystems in the era of global change. The findings from the collected papers of this special issue stated that the ecosystems services of the QTP's grasslands are declining due to weakened interfaces among soil, plant and grazing animals in the QTP's grassland ecosystems by climate and land use changes. Applicable actions such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, close-to-nature restoration, rotational grazing regime with moderate grazing intensity should be taken to enhance the ecosystem services through rebuilding rational soil-plant-animal interfaces. • Both climate change and human activities led to grassland degradation. • Grassland degradation have weakened the ecosystem services. • Restoration and rational grazing can enhance sustainability of grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]