Affiliated with Lanzhou University and based on the Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology of the Ministry of Education. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology in October, 2011. The Laboratory is the only state key laboratory engaged in the research of grassland agricultural ecosystem in China. Accordingto the frontiers of international researches and major scientific and technological needs of grassland agriculture in China, the Laboratory has developed the theory of grassland agricultural ecosystem, constructed optimized models for various eco-economic regions and set up demonstration models, in order to provide theoretical and technical supports for food and ecological security of China.

Prof. Ren Jizhou, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the founder and pioneer of modern pratacultural science in China, is the academic advisor of the Laboratory.

Currently, Prof. Nan Zhibiao, an academician of CAE, is the director of the academic committee of the Laboratory, and Prof. He Jinsheng, the winner of the National Science Found for Distinguished Young Scholars, is the director of the Laboratory.