Based on data obtained from field soil investigations and laboratory analysis,status,spatio-temporal variation and evaluating tendency of soil fertility in the peri-urban areas of Nantong were studied,with the aid of the mathematical statistics-based analysis methods.It was indicated that contents of OM,total and available N,P in topsoil (0-20 cm) varied greatly across the study area,demonstrating a strong influence of land use practices on soil fertility.By contraries,CEC and content of total K in topsoil displayed very little variation across the space,reflecting some common genetic characteristics (light texture and K-rich parent materials) of the soils in the area.Compared to the data obtained in the period of the Second National Soil Survey conducted in 1986,the contents of OM,total N,P increased by more than 50%,while the contents of total K remained almost unchanged in topsoil of the study area.And available P increased by 5 times,while available K did just slightly only by less 3%.Taking all of the samples as a whole,pH of the topsoil significantly decreased in the area.Generally speaking,intensive agricultural practices during the last 20 years made the soils of the peri-urban areas of Nantong much more fertile and productive.It must be mentioned that,however,in spite of the increase in contents,balance of soil nutrients was becoming worse,and some soil quality affecting factors were still there.Meanwhile,strong spatial variation of soil attributes caused by diverse agricultural practices was leading to complication of the soil resource structure in the area,thus bringing about a more serious challenge to sustainable use and management of the regional soil resource in the peri-urban areas of Nantong.