Articles | Volume 12, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-263-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-263-2026
Original research article
 | 
24 Mar 2026
Original research article |  | 24 Mar 2026

Soil stoichiometric characteristics and influencing factors in karst forests at microtopography and microhabitat scales

Yi Dang, Hua Zhou, Wenjun Zhao, Yingchun Cui, Chengjiang Tan, Fangjun Ding, Yukun Wang, Run Liu, and Peng Wu

Cited articles

An, H., Tang, Z. S., Keesstra, S., and Shangguan, Z. P.: Impact of desertification on soil and plant nutrient stoichiometry in a desert grassland, Sci. Rep.-UK, 9, 9422, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45927-0, 2019. 
Babur, E., Dindaroğlu, T., Riaz, M., and Uslu, O. S.: Seasonal Variations in Litter Layers' Characteristics Control Microbial Respiration and Microbial Carbon Utilization Under Mature Pine, Cedar, and Beech Forest Stands in the Eastern Mediterranean Karstic Ecosystems, Microb. Ecol., 84, 153–167, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-021-01842-4, 2022. 
Bi, M. F., Zhang, S. P., Xu, Q. X., Hou, S. Z., Han, M. W., and Yu, X. R.: Coupling and synergistic relationships between soil aggregate stability and nutrient stoichiometric characteristics under different microtopographies on karst rocky desertification slopes, Catena, 243, 108142, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108142, 2024. 
Campo, J.: Shift from ecosystem P to N limitation at precipitation gradient in tropical dry forests at Yucatan, Mexico, Environ. Res. Lett., 11, 95006, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/9/095006, 2016. 
Chen, Y., Li, Y. Q., Duan, Y. L., Wang, L. L., Wang, X. Y., Yao, C. P., Chen, Y. P., Cao, W. J., and Niu, Y. Y.: Patterns and driving factors of soil ecological stoichiometry in typical ecologically fragile areas of China, Catena, 219, 106628, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106628, 2022. 
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Short summary
The soil stoichiometric characteristics in the study area are predominantly governed by niche-microtopographic factors. Although plant life forms influence certain elements through processes such as nutrient return, their overall effect is relatively weak, and their impact is often contingent upon the microtopographic context. This combined action of biotic and abiotic factors reflects the complexity inherent in the karst soil nutrient cycling mechanism.
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