Thirteen profiles of andosoils of the Canary Islands were studied. The object of this work was to study the distribution and dynamics of Cu and Zn in these profiles. The Cu does not accumulate in the surface horizons, which indicates to us that the organic material has not contributed to the enrichment of Cu in these horizons. The Zn accumulated in the surface in the surface horizons, the organic material not being the cause of this accumulation. The Cu contributed by the biological cycle to the surface horizons undergoes migration in depth as soluble and pseudosoluble complexes with the organic material. The loss of Cu in the surface horizons by this process of migration is higher than the Cu that reaches these horizons through the vegetative cycle. As a consequence the content of Cu increases with the depth of the profile. The Zn contributed by the biological cycle in the surface horizons, undergoes the same process of migration, but with less intesity. So the loss of Zn in the surface horizons due to this process is less than Zn which reaches these horizons through the vegetative cycle. Consequently the content of Zn decreases with the depth of the profile.

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