To investigate the effects of litter input on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools in subtropical coniferous forests and broad-leaved forests, a field manipulation experiment combined with laboratory incubation was conducted in a Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation (coniferous forest) and a Cinnamomum chekiangense natural forest (broad-leaved forest). Three treatments were established: control (CK, no litter removal), removal of fresh leaf litter (R1), and removal of both fresh leaf litter and roots (R2). The results showed that litter removal significantly reduced soil total C and N contents in both forest types. The soil C pool in the coniferous forest was more sensitive to leaf litter removal (R1), with the reduction in total C being 10.47% greater in R1 than in R2. In contrast, the soil N pool in the broad-leaved forest was more sensitive to root removal (R2), where the reduction in total N was 7.71% greater than in R1. Laboratory incubation revealed a higher potential for C mineralization in the broad-leaved forest than in the coniferous forest. Litter removal differentially influenced C mineralization processes: in the coniferous forest, cumulative CO? emissions in R1 and R2 increased by 32.42% and 46.46%, respectively, compared to CK, whereas in the broad-leaved forest, they decreased by 20.08% and 6.11%, respectively. For N mineralization, the rate followed the order R2 > R1 > CK in the coniferous forest, where both the content and proportion of soluble organic nitrogen (SON) were highest under CK. In the broad-leaved forest, the N mineralization rate followed CK > R1 > R2; however, the proportion of SON in total soluble N was highest under R2, and the SON content in R1 and R2 increased significantly by 23.36% and 78.07%, respectively, compared to CK. This study indicates that forest management should prioritize litter return in coniferous forests to maintain the soil C pool, and root protection in broad-leaved forests to enhance N retention.