Soil nutrient contents and stoichiometry within aggregate size classes varied with tea plantation age and soil depth in southern Guangxi in China

Abstract. Soil ecological stoichiometry offers a tool to explore the distribution, cycling, limitation, and balance of chemical elements in tea plantation ecosystems. This study aimed how soil organic C (OC) nutrient contents (total N (TN), total P (TP), Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+) as well their stoichiometric ratios (C/N, C/P, N/P, Ca/Mg, Fe/Mn) varied with age (8, 17, 25, 43 years) depth (0–10, 10–20, 20–40, 40–60 cm) within aggregates southern Guangxi China. Our results showed that significantly affected different sizes aggregates. Among ages plantations, OC, TN, TP C/N, N/P decreased increased. In addition, Ca2+ Mg2+ were lower surface layer than deeper layer, whereas Fe2+ Mn2+ opposite trends, no significant differences detected Ca/Mg Fe/Mn among depths. At 0–40 cm depth, continuous planting corresponded increases contents, over time. During process growth, losses especially (as indicated by decrease ratio), led acidification, which reduced absorption enhanced uptake plants increase ratio). general, variations stoichiometry, such effects more obvious at contrast depth.