Abstract:To clarify soil stoichiometric characteristics of different age-group Chinese fir plantations, young, half mature, near mature, mature and over mature Chinese fir plantations with similar site condition were selected in Jindong forest farm of Hunan Province. Three sample plots of 20 m × 30 m were set up in each of these different age-group plantations and soil samples were collected from 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm depths, respectively, with S-shaped sampling method (5 sampling points) in each plot. The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P) in depth of 0-60 cm were measured, then ratios of C:N, C:P and N:P were analyzed. Results showed that the contents of SOC, N and P ranged in 11.02-14.74, 1.65-1.84, 0.26-0.35 g/kg, respectively, in different age-group Chinese fir plantations. With the increasing age, the contents of SOC and N decreased first then increased and finally decreased, the content of P decreased first and then increased. The contents of SOC and N decreased with the increase of soil depth, and the decreasing degree of SOC varied in the order of half mature>near mature>over mature>mature>young, and that of N in the order of near mature>over mature>half mature>young>mature, but the content of P varied irregularly with the increase of soil depth. Ratios of C:N, C:P and N:P ranged in 6.94-8.53, 49.03-53.07 and 5.79-7.74, respectively, in different age-group Chinese fir plantations. C:N decreased first and then increased with the increasing age, but C:P and N:P changed oppositely. C:P and N:P decreased with the increase of soil depth, while soil C:N remained stable.