Abstract: To understand the spatial distribution patterns of Stagnic Anthrosols in the low plain areas, the effects of terrestrial formation time and sedimentary environments on the characteristics and profile development of the soils was studied in the Ningshao plain as a case. The field survey showed that,based on the difference in terrestrial formation time and genesis of sediment, the Ningshao plain could be divided into four kinds of sedimentary environments, such as modern shallow marine sedimentary area, low-lying lake marshland area, paleo-continental facies sedimentary area and paleo-lake bank alluvium-lacustrine sedimentary area. Correspondingly, the types and properties of the Stagnic Anthrosols were also quite different. Types of the soils in modern shallow marine sedimentary area were mainly of typic haply-Stagnic Anthrosols, and their properties were related to the reclamation time of the tidal flat. Those in low-lying lake marshland area were mainly of typic gleyi-Stagnic Anthrosols and endogleyic haply-Stagnic Anthrosols, and their properties were mainly related to the distance from the center of the ancient lake and marshland. Typic Fe-accumuli-Stagnic Anthrosols was a main soil in the paleo-continental facies sedimentary area, Fe-accumulic gleyi-Stagnic Anthrosols were also distributed in some of the area because of the stagnant water in the upper part of soil profiles. Common types of the soils in paleo-lake bank alluvium-lacustrine sedimentary area were typic Fe-accumuli-Stagnic Anthrosols or/and typic hapli-Stagnic Anthrosols. The study indicated that identification of the sedimentary environment was helpful for identification of groups and subgroups of Stagnic Anthrosols in low plain areas.