Spatial patterns of soil stoichiometry and their responses to land use in a desertified area: A case study of China's Horqin Sandy Land

Abstract Ecological stoichiometry facilitates the understanding of biogeochemical cycles by studying balance among multiple elements in ecosystems. However, spatial patterns soil and their responses to land use desertified are unclear. In this study, we selected 525 sample points collect topsoil (0–20 cm) samples throughout China's Horqin Sandy Land measured organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (TP). We then calculated stoichiometric ratios (C:N:P). SOC (8.7 g kg −1 ), TN (0.9 TP (0.3 ) were lower region than Chinese global terrestrial ecosystems due aeolian desertification. SOC, TN, C:P, N:P significantly ( p < 0.05) higher grassland, followed woodland, cropland, sandy land. This sequence may result from large number dead roots that participate turnover grassland. was cropland fertilization. C:N did not differ > because strong coupling relationship between TN. The values TP, high north (dominated mountain woodland grassland) low south land). contents C:N:P mainly affected mean annual temperature (29.6%), (11.5%), bulk density (11.4%) through influence on microbial metabolism, litter nutrient input, structure, respectively. results provide information overall changes its land‐use changes, can therefore guide ecological restoration semiarid regions desertification modern context climate change.