The natural abundance of 15N and 13C, conventional soil analyses, and biomass production by maize were used to study the influence of five tropical tree species on soils and their fertility. The experiment was conducted in Morogoro, Tanzania, to compare Cassia (Senna) siamea, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis (all non-N2-fixing), Leucaena leucocephala, Prosopis chilensis (both N2-fixing), and a grass fallow. Maize biomass production, which was correlated with N uptake (P=0.001), was higher on soils from plots with 5-year-old Leucaena and Prosopis spp. compared to the grass fallow, while other tree species had less favourable effects on maize growth. The per cent N was higher in soil and δ15N of soil total N was lower under Prosopis sp. compared to soil under other tree species, which suggests an input from N2 fixation by Prosopis sp. A transfer of fixed N to maize or to understorey grass species was, however, not indicated by the 15N natural abundance. Prosopis sp. contributed more C to the soil than the other four tree species; the difference in δ13C between soils from Prosopis sp. plots and from grass fallow plots showed that the tree contributed 11% to the total C of the soil over a period of 8 years. The leaves of the N2-fixing species had a low ratio of lignin+phenols to N, and maize growth was negatively correlated with this parameter. The Eucalyptus spp. had leaves with a high lignin+phenols to N ratio, contributed very little C to the soil, and lowered the soil pH.