[Objective] To understand the spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations in Dioscorea opposita Thunb. planted soils and the influences of soil properties and socio-economic factors on the heavy metal concentrations in order to selecte the priority areas for the D. opposita Thunb. platation.[Methods] Soil samples were collected using the grid sampling method

and the element concentrations were tested in laboratory

then the relationships of data was analyzed with geostatistics and spatial analysis methods in SPSS and ArcGIS 9.3.[Results] The four elements

except for Cr

showed a positive correlation with each other; Cr

Pb and As followed a normal distribution in the soil data and Cd

Hg followed a normal distribution after logarithmic conversion; Hg showed little spatial correlation according to the nugget effect analysis.[Conclusion] The heavy metal concentrations in the D. opposita Thunb. soils in Hebei Province were closely related to their parent material

soil texture

and organic matter contents and the degree of industrialization

urbanization and agricultural intensities of a city.