The effects of different rainfall intensities(0.285,0.978,1.737 mm/min) on sediment nutrient concentrations from steep land of purple soil in Three Gorges region were studied by artificial rainfall simulations.Results showed that with the increasing rain intensity,the eroded sediment and the sediment nutrient concentrations,including total phosphorus,total potassium and available nitrogen,all increased throughout the runoff process.However,the concentrations of total nitrogen,available phosphorus and available potassium had no obvious variation.The peak sediment and each peak concentration of sediment nutrients increased in some degree and the time peak values occurred advanced in different degrees respectively.Meanwhile,the quantity of sediment increased first and then gradually reduced,subsequently,remained relatively stable levels under the same rainfall intensity.The concentrations of sediment nutrients which were total potassium,total phosphorus,total nitrogen,available nitrogen,available phosphorus and available potassium had the same variation.All the sediment nutrients enriched except total nitrogen,but the enrichment degree had no obvious relationship with the rainfall intensity.