Calibration and validation of phenological models for Biome-BGCMuSo in the grasslands of Tibetan Plateau using remote sensing data

•Phenological models were calibrated and validated using satellite-derived growing season.•The three spring phenological models well captured the change along aridity gradients.•The heatsum index and alpine meadow prognostic phenological models performed well.•The simulated SOS responded to precipitation and temperature changes differently.