The study looked at how soil type and depth affect the balance of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in two forest soils. They found that the C:N ratio and microbial biomass were higher in one soil type compared to the other, while the C:P and N:P ratios were different. As soil depth increased, the C:N ratio went up and the C:P and N:P ratios went down. The researchers used a method called structural equation modelling to show that soil depth directly influenced the levels of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soil. They also found that soil type and depth affected the amount of fungi and bacteria in the soil, with changes in fungi levels impacting bacteria levels.