A dataset of plant community dynamics in the free-grazing plot at the National Field Research Station on the Yinshanbeilu (2009–2018)

<p indent="0mm">The desert grassland at the Yinshanbeilu constitute an important ecological security barrier in the northern China’s national ecological security framework. This area is primarily used for grazing. Understanding the characteristics of plant communities under grazing conditions is of great significance for exploring the primary productivity, biodiversity, and ecological restoration of degraded grasslands in the area. This article compiles field survey data collected each August during the growing seasons in a free-grazing plot at the National Field Research Station on the Yinshanbeilu from 2009 to 2018. Five plots are surveyed annually, recording plant species composition, height, coverage, density, and aboveground biomass. This dataset strictly follows the quality control and standards for grassland plant community surveys in terms of field investigations, indoor measurements, data entry, and quality control. This dataset can provide scientific basis and data support for the management and ecological restoration of desert grasslands on the Yinshanbeilu.