Decomposition of heavy metal-enriched litter may increase the exposure risk levels of toxic metals in some urban forest communities, resulting in the human health risk of exposure to these elements. In the present study, the concentrations of 8 heavy metals (Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn) in soil and litter samples from 8 urban typical forest communities in Foshan, an industrial developed city of Guangdong Province, China was investigated, in order to understand the distribution and circulation of soil heavy metals in urban forest ecosystems in Southern China. Meanwhile, the enrichment effects of different heavy metals by litter and the return fluxes of these heavy metals from litter to the soils were analyzed. Results showed as follows: 1) The urban typical forest communities varied significantly with the different heavy metals in soils (P<0.05), showing the largest concentration differences for Pb, Cr, and Zn, followed by As, Cu, and Ni, while Hg and Cd being the smallest. In addition, the soil depth (0-20 cm, 20-40 cm, and 40-60 cm) had a significant effect on the concentrations of 8 heavy metals in soils (P<0.05), with the largest differences seen in the concentrations of Cd and Hg, followed by As and Cu, and the smallest differences observed in the concentrations of Zn, Ni, Pb and Cr. In most cases, Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cu, and Zn had the highest concentrations in soils at a 0-20 cm depth, showing the obvious characteristics of surface enrichment, while Cr and Ni showed the highest values in soils at a 40-60 cm depth. 2) Among 8 kinds of plant communities, the highest comprehensive enrichment coefficient, also referred to as total bioconcentration factor (TBCF; 66.76) for different heavy metals by litter, was achieved in Cinnamomum burmannii (C. G. et Th. Nees) Bl.-Mallotus paniculatus (Lam.) Muell. Arg.-Michelia macclurei Dandy (CMMC) community. With the enrichment coefficient of 44.45 for Cd, its enrichment effect was most evident in the CMMC community, while those for Pb, Cu and Zn were relatively enriched. On the contrary, the lowest TBCF (8.09) for different heavy metals by litter was found in Castanopsis fissa (Champ. ex Benth.) Rehd. et Wils.-Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem.-Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl (CTCC) community. The enrichment effects, only for Cd, Cr, and Cu, were still evident in the CTCC community, but for other heavy metals, were not at all obvious. 3) The results from the bivariate correlation analysis revealed that no significant correlation was found between the return flux of heavy metals from litter to soil and the concentration of heavy metals in soil (except for Cr and Ni). This study has strong thoretical and practical significance for the construction and management of urban forest parks, and also for the screening and selection of heavy metal-enriched plants.