Soil nutrients and stoichiometric ratios are significant parameters for Eragrostis minor Host sustainability in a recent climate change scenario. However, their characteristics in Northwestern China are still unclear, particularly at Gansu belt, and require further investigation. In the study, we analyzed soil pH, organic matter (OM), nutrients, and stoichiometric ratios from eight E. minor distribution sites in Gansu Province at 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths. Results showed that soils were alkaline, with pH increasing significantly with depth (p < 0.05). The soil OM, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) decreased with depth, showing topsoil nutrient enrichment. Baiyin Huining (HN) and Dingxi Anding (AD) exhibited the highest nutrient levels, likely due to higher altitudes. The soil stoichiometric ratios were lower than both China’s depth-averaged values and the global averages, indicating N as the primary limiting factor. Further, correlation analysis showed that the soil nutrients were mainly affected by altitude, and N chiefly limited the soil stoichiometric ratios. Therefore, E. minor can be managed and conserved sustainably at HN and AD sites in Gansu’s dry temperate ecosystem. These findings offer theoretical support for ecological adaptability assessment, conservation of germplasm resources, and E. minor utilization in Gansu province, China.

Global climate change-driven drought aggravation seriously threatens the survival and distribution of desert shrubs. Nitraria sibirica Pall. has outstanding drought tolerance, yet its growth adaptation strategies and internal regulatory mechanisms under different soil moisture conditions lack systematic research. This study combined physiological determination with transcriptome and metabolome analyses to investigate its physiological responses and molecular regulation mechanisms at different growth stages and habitats. Nitraria sibirica from riparian habitats exhibited lower leaf organic carbon and higher total nitrogen. Desert-grown N. sibirica possessed far more drought-responsive differentially expressed genes and metabolites than riparian ones. Hormone signal transduction and lipid metabolism dominated regulation in riparian habitats, whereas secondary metabolite biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism—especially flavonoid biosynthesis and tryptophan metabolism—were core in desert habitats. Its drought response displayed distinct stage-specificity, with hormone signal transduction most enriched in drought-responsive genes across growth periods. This study clarifies the stress adaptation mechanisms of desert shrubs and provides theoretical support for germplasm evaluation and vegetation restoration in arid regions.