Soil organic carbon and nitrogen sequestration following grazing exclusion on the Loess Plateau, China

•RSOC and RN in both top- and sub-soil following GE were studied in the Loess Plateau of China.•GE increased SOC and N stocks at soil layer of 0–60 cm.•MAT rather than MAP is the main factor in driving RSOC and RN.•RSOC in each soil layer is also correlated with altitude.•The strong coupling between RSOC and RN induced no change in C/N with duration of GE.