Abstract: The soil nutrient contents of organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK) and their ecological stoichiometric characteristics were studied along an altitude gradient (1300~3100 m) to elucidate their responses to topography, vegetation and soil factors in a forest soil in the Shennongjia mountains. The results showed that the contents of SOC, TN, TP and TK ranged from 14.32~35.39 g/kg, 2.20~5.62 g/kg, 0.28~0.46 g/kg and 20.75~22.96 g/kg, respectively. The contents of SOC, TN and TP showed an increasing trend with elevation, while TK showed an opposite trend. C/N, C/K, N/K and P/K all increased linearly with elevation, and the maximum value was found at 3100 m above sea level. Soil nutrient contents and their ecological stoichiometric ratios were significantly different in different vertical vegetation zones in the mountainous area, with higher SOC and TN contents and lower TP and TK contents in mountainous scrub meadows, and the ecological stoichiometric ratios in this vegetation zone were significantly higher than those in other vegetation zones. Correlation analysis showed that the ecological stoichiometric ratios between elevation and C, N, P and K were positively correlated, and the correlations between C/K and N/K and elevation were significant. Compared with the northern slope, the soil ecological stoichiometry ratios on the southern slope were more significantly affected by elevation.