[Objective] The change characteristics of soil nutrients and ecological stoichiometry ratio before and after the change of land use pattern were explored, in order to provide scientific basis for agricultural production and ecological restorations in loess hilly area.[Methods] Three kinds of sample plots, namely, conversion of slope cropland to level terrace (terrace), return the grain plots to forestry (forest land) and terrace walnut garden (garden), were selected as research objects in Chakou small watershed in Yonghe County of Shaanxi Province. Taking the existing slope cropland as the reference substance, the spatio-temporal contrast method was used to compare the contents of C, N, P, K and ecological stoichiometry ratio of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil before and after the change of land use patterns.[Results] ① After the implementation of various ecological restoration measures, the content of soil C and N elements increased significantly. The soil organic C content of 0-40 cm in terrace, forest land and garden land was 1.38, 2.44 and 1.09 times of that in the slope cropland, and the TN content was 1.76, 2.66 and 1.68 times of that in sloping land, respectively. The increment of P and K elements was not obvious, and the forest land immobilized C and N elements were more obviously than the other two modes of land use. ② The limiting elements of the soil were C and N through the analysis of ecological stoichiometry ratio of soil nutrients. ③ There was a stable coupling relationship between soil nutrients and ecological stoichiometry ratio of the watershed, and the coupling relationship between C and N was the most significant and played an important role in the stability between each element and the ecological stoichiometry ratio.[Conclusion] The three land use patterns effectively changed the total nutrient content of soil and the ecological stoichiometry ratio, which was beneficial to the ecological protection and vegetation restoration in the watershed.