The investigation was conducted within large,shallow Lake Taihu,in winter and summer.5 sites in phytoplankton dominated zone and 3 sites in macrophyte dominated zone were chosen for sampling.Parameters of sampling sites including water quality, nutrients concentrations in 5-cm overlaying water and vertical profiles of water content,mean value of grain size (D50),total organic carbon (TOC),nitrogen,phosphorus,metals and dissolved oxygen were analyzed.Results showed that,surface water pH in phytoplankton dominated zone was higher than that in the other two layers and water pH in winter was higher in macrophyte dominated zone than that in phytoplankton dominated zone;water nephelometric turbidity unites in macrophyte dominatd zone was higher than those in phytoplankton dominated zone in summer and contrarily in winter;concentrations of NO₃^--N and PO₄^3--P of overlaying water were significantly higher in phytoplankton dominated zone than those in macrophyte dominated zone;sediment water contents in macrophyte dominated zone in winter was significant higher than those in summer;sediment TOC in macrophyte dominated zone was significant higher than that in phytoplankton dominated zone.There was significant difference of sediment metal concentration,including Fe,Zn,Ca,Pb,Na and K between macrophyte and phytoplankton dominated zone;oxygen penetration depths were deeper in winter than those in summer,and in phytoplankton dominated zone than in macrophyte dominated zone.