C:N:P stoichiometry in soil: is there a “Redfield ratio” for the microbial biomass?

Summary

This literature review examined whether terrestrial soils and microbial communities exhibit stoichiometric ratios comparable to the well-characterised Redfield ratio in marine ecosystems. The authors found remarkably consistent global C:N:P ratios in both total soil and microbial biomass across diverse sites, despite high biological diversity and spatial heterogeneity, though ratios varied by vegetation type. The findings suggest that microbial biomass stoichiometry could serve as a diagnostic tool for assessing nutrient limitation in terrestrial ecosystems.

Regional applicability

This is a global meta-analysis identifying universal stoichiometric patterns, making the fundamental findings applicable to United Kingdom soils and ecosystems. However, the framework may require UK-specific calibration for different vegetation types (deciduous forests, grasslands, croplands) to assess local nutrient limitation in agricultural and natural systems.

Key measures

Atomic carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios in total soil pools and soil microbial biomass; variation across vegetation types (forest versus grassland)

Outcomes reported

The study identified consistent C:N:P ratios in soil and soil microbial biomass across global sites, finding atomic ratios of 186:13:1 in total soil pools and 60:7:1 in microbial biomass. The analysis examined whether stoichiometric patterns analogous to marine Redfield ratios exist in terrestrial ecosystems and their utility as indicators of nutrient limitation.

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