Contents and geochemical fractionation of rear earth elements (REE) in soil both have important impacts on distribution，migration，transformation and fate of the REE in the environment. The surface functions of iron/manganese oxide minerals on elements have been thought to be one of the important mechanisms of activation，migration and pollution of the elements in the biotic and abiotic environment. Typical soil profiles of paddy soil and Chao soil were selected in the Yangtze River Delta region and the Pearl River Delta region，representing the northern tip and southern tip of the sub-tropical zone in China，respectively，for analysis of effects of iron/manganese oxides on contents and geochemical fractionation of REEs. Results show that among the iron/manganese oxides，crystalline iron oxides bind REEs in the soils，which is more significant in Chao soil than in paddy soil.Free iron oxides in paddy soil have a positive effect on accumulation of Ce and depletion of Eu，while manganese oxides reduce the extent of Eu deficiency probably through oxidation of Eu from bivalent cation to trivalent cation. Moreover，the content of iron/manganese oxides also affect REE fractionation in the soil profiles，that is，the lower the content of iron/manganese oxides，the bigger the difference of REE fractionation between soil layers.In paddy soils high in free iron，in the southern subtropical zone，Eu is readily reduced and leached with Sr from the soils，which is contrary to the paddy soils in the northern subtropical zone.