Abstract:The total and available contents of several heavy metal elements in thirty-seven Profiles of Fimus soils, different vegetable cultivated mellow soils and corresponding grain crop soils derived from different original soils in China were studied. The distribution characteristics of heavy metals, the relationships between total and available element contents, between elements and some soil properties, and among elements were elucidated. Results showed that as the ripening degree increased, there was an evident increase tendency of increase in the contents of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd. Total and available metal element contents decreased with the soil depth. In Fimus soils, the elemental contents were higher in the upper horizon of 0 to 40 cm and decreased dramatically below the transitional horizons due to the thicker fimic epipedons. In the moderately and slightly ripening vegetable cultivated soils, element contents were higher only in the surface horizons and decreased sharply below surface horizons, but there were no evident changes in the profiles of grain crop soils.