Abstract: The vertical distributions of soil organic matter(Outside Heating Method, 10.1 8-74.33 g·kg^-1), total nitrogen(Kjeldahl Method, 0.17-2.6 g·kg^-1), base soluble nitrogen(diffusion method,14.97-198. 72 mg·kg^-1), phosphorus(spectro-colorimetric methods, total phosphorus:0.12-0.76 g·kg^-1, available phosphorus:20.74-153.64 mg·kg^-1), potassium(Flare Photometer, available potassium:659. 05-1 001.45 mg·kg^-1, total potassium:9.81-18.64 g·kg^-1)at the altitude from 1 191 to 2 656 m in Qapgal County, Xinjiang, China were analyzed. The results showed all the nutrient indexes were decreased as the soil depth got increased and the differences were significant at different soil layers. Except potassium, all other indexes were increased as the latitude gets increased. The correlation analysis showed that, in the soil of 0 to 20 cm depth, there was a significant positive correlation between the altitude and the available phosphorus(p < 0.05,R=0.838^**), and also a significant positive correlation between the altitude and the soil organic matter and total nitrogen(p < 0.05,R=0.831^*, R=0.751^*). There was a significant positive correlation between soil organic matter and base soluble nitrogen(p < 0.05,R=0.988^**) and positive correlation between soil organic matter and total phosphorus(p < 0.05,R=0.726^*). In the soil of 20 to 40 cm depth, the altitude was positively correlated with organic matter, base soluble nitrogen, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and negatively correlated with potassium, available potassium, available phosphorus. The soil organic matter was correlated positively and significantly with base soluble nitrogen and total nitrogen(p < 0.05,R=0.867^**,R=0.970^**) and base soluble nitrogen was positively correlated with total nitrogen (p < 0.05,R=0.914^**). In the soil of 40 to 60 cm depth, the altitude was positively correlated with organic matter, base soluble nitrogen, total phosphorus, and negatively correlated with total potassium, available potassium, available phosphorus and total phosphorus. The soil organic matter was correlated positively and significantly with base soluble nitrogen and total nitrogen(p < 0.05, R=0.884^**, R=0.966^**) and positively correlated with total potassium and available phosphorus, but negatively correlated with total phosphorus and available potassium(p < 0.05,R=0.914^**). Base soluble nitrogen was positive extremely correlated with total nitrogen(p < 0.05,R=0.952^**).

Key words: altitude, soil depth, soil carbon, soil nutrient N,P,K