While the home-field advantage (HFA) effect explains variability in leaf litter decomposition, which is critical for soil enzyme activity and nutrient cycling, its existence and ties to nutrient limitations are still debated. In a 439-day field experiment, we compared decomposition effects of coniferous (Pinus tabuliformis, PT) and broadleaf (Quercus acutissima, QC) litters. The results showed that PT litter (high C/N ratio) exhibited a home-field disadvantage (HFD), with away soil (PT1) having 39.64 % higher total organic carbon (TOC) and 24.25 % higher total nitrogen (TN) than home soil by late decomposition. In contrast, QC litter (low C/N ratio) displayed a clear HFA, significantly increasing TOC, TN, total phosphorus (TP), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in home-site soil. During decomposition, activities of enzymes associated with carbon and nitrogen cycling, including (3-glucosidase (BG), (3-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), and L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), increased considerably in QC soil, reaching approximately 2.49, 4.65, and 1.57 times the levels observed in the control soil, respectively. Litter input induced a significant shift in soil nutrient limitations, transitioning from initial phosphorus to nitrogen limitation during decomposition. The study demonstrated that litter input significantly influenced the direction and intensity of microbial nutrient limitation by increasing soil temperature (T) and soil water content (SWC), consequently regulating nutrient availability and nutrient stoichiometric ratios. In the PT site, litter mass loss positively promoted the release of available nutrients, intensifying microbial carbon limitation. In contrast, at the QC site, litter mass loss negatively affected total nutrient pools, and nutrient stoichiometric ratios negatively influenced both microbial carbon and nitrogen/phosphorus limitations. Furthermore, SWC, T, available nutrients (NO3--N, NH4+-N, AP), and total nutrients (TOC, TN, TP) were identified as the key factors driving variations in microbial nutrient limitations. These findings underpin HFA research in litter decomposition and soil nutrient cycling, offering new insights into forest carbon cycling in temperate semiarid forests.