Multi-element stoichiometric coupling is critical for plant growth. To investigate the effects of mixed cultivation of leguminous and gramineous forages on their multi-element stoichiometric characteristics in the Bashang agro-pastoral ecotone， this study used the monoculture of Medicago sativa and Bromus inermis as the control treatment and further analyzed the influences of two mixed sowing combinations， i.e.， M. sativa+B. inermis （MW） and M. sativa+B. inermis+Elymus nutans （MWP）， on plant nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometric characteristics， macro-element （potassium， calcium， magnesium， sulfur） contents， and microelement （iron， manganese， copper， zinc， nickel） contents. The results showed that the nitrogen and phosphorus contents of M. sativa and B. inermis in the monoculture treatment were higher than those in the MW and MWP mixed sowing treatments. The ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus （N∶P ratio） of M. sativa in the monoculture treatment showed no difference compared to those in the MW and MWP mixed sowing treatments （all exceed 16）， indicating the phosphorus limitation of M. sativa. However， the N∶P ratio of B. inermis in the monoculture treatment was lower than those in the MW and MWP mixed sowing treatments， indicating a shift from nitrogen limitation to phosphorus limitation or dual limitation of nitrogen and phosphorus of B. inermis. Except for the zinc content of B. inermis， no differences in the macroelement and microelement contents of M. sativa and B. inermis were observed between monoculture treatments and mixed sowing treatments. In conclusion， nitrogen and phosphorus limitations might still exist in the leguminous and gramineous mixed sowing grassland in the Bashang agro-pastoral ecotone.

Artificial Grassland  /  Mixed sowing grassland  /  Ecological Stoichiometry  /  Macroelement  /  Microelement