Through field sampling and investigation, spatial distribution of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phos-phorus and total potassium in annular wetlands of the Sanjiang Plain was studied preliminarily. The results showed that horizontally it varied sharply, but followed a certain law, that is, soil organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus gradually decreased in content, but total potassium content and C/N ratio gradually increased along the direction from center to edge of the wetlands. Vertically these soil chemical elements also varied, showing obvious stratification and enrichment. In a soil profile, organic matter declined in content with the depth; soil organic carbon under all the five vegetation communities gradually decreased; soil total nitrogen increased first and then decreased under all the vegetation communities except under Ass. Carex pseudocuraica; total phosphorus and total potassium under most vegetation communities decreased first and then increased. The results of correlation analysis between soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium suggest that soil organic carbon and total nitrogen showed a similar pattern in distribution; the spatial distribution pattern of total potassium was completely different from that of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen; and total phosphorus had its own unique pattern of distri-bution. The distribution law of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium of the wetlands was mainly impacted by element contents of the plants, biological processes and hydro-geomorphological processes. The study on the distribution laws of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium of the annular wetlands is not only helpful in perfecting the theory of wetland soil formation and development, and proving up ecological processes and function of wetlands, but also provides scientific basis for reasonable exploitation and protection of the wetland resources.