Ecological stoichiometry ( ES) is the study of the balance of multiple chemical elements in ecological processes and ecological interactions at various scales, which linked by Redfield ratios of chemical elements from genes to ecosystems. It has been becoming an important toolkit for ecologists not only for micro-but also macro-scale studies. ES involves two important hypotheses, i.e., homeostatic hypothesis and growth rate hypothesis, which have been proved at various organisms in the past decades. The former indicated that organisms have the ability to maintain a given elemental composition despite variation in the elemental composition of its environment or resource and reflects the net outcome of some underlying physiological adaption to their surroundings ; and the later indicates low carbon ( C) : phosphorus ( P) and nitrogen (N) : P ratios in rapidly growing organisms reflects increased allocation to P-rich ribosomal RNA ( rRNA), as rapid protein synthesis by ribosome is required higher P demand to support fast growth. Nowadays, researches have broadened ES from the relative simple aquatic ecosystems to the complex terrestrial ecosystems. The objectives of these studies have involved RNA, enzymes, microorganisms, plants, animals, food chains, food webs, and the findings of ES to explain or predict the eco-environmental problems at regional even global scales. The phenomena, homoeostasis of Redfield ratios and growth rate of organisms controlled by allometric allocation of multiple elements in different pools, have indicated important mechanisms to maintain the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little attention has been paid on what and how the principles of ES link to the coupling cycles of C, N and P in terrestrial ecosystems, and no any related studies have been reported. In the paper, we reviewed the history of ES, recent findings at leaf, individual, community, and ecosystem levels, and the application at regional or global eco-environmental problems. We further addressed some progress of ES in exploring the coupled cycle of C, N, and H_2O in terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on their theoretical linkages. We also discussed how ES could provide novel insights into individual, community, and ecosystem as well as into large-scale effects related to biogeochemical couplings at the ecosystem level. The coupling of C, N, and P cycles via their biotic interactions and their responses to climate change accentuate ES as an important toolkit for ecosystem analysis at various scales. We also pointed out some of the major topics and principles, where ES likely would be useful to understand the coupling cycles of C, N, and P at ecosystem level, in order to promote their development in the future.