Abstract:Different types of alpine grasslands in the source area of the Yellow River were research objects.The physical and chemical properties of 0~20 cm soil layer were measured andthe soil quality was also evaluated by principal component analysis.The results showed that: 1.The soil bulk density and pH from high to low both were alpine steppe>artificial grassland>alpine meadow > swamp meadow;the soil water content,organic carbon,total carbon,ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen from high to low were all ranked as: swamp meadow>alpine meadow >artificial grassland>alpine steppe;the nitrate content from high to low was artificial grassland>swamp meadow > alpine steppe> alpine meadow;the contents of available phosphorus and total phosphorus from high to low were both as: swamp meadow > alpine meadow >artificial grassland >alpine steppe;the contents of available potassium and total potassium from high to low were both as: artificial grassland>alpine steppe> alpine meadow>swamp meadow.2.There was a significant positive correlation between soil organic carbon content and soil total carbon,ammonia nitrogen,total nitrogen,available phosphorus and total phosphorus content (P< 0.01).There was a significant positive correlation between soil total carbon content and soil ammonia nitrogen,total nitrogen,available phosphorus and total phosphorus content (P< 0.01).There was also a strong correlation between soil carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus,and the three were highly interconnected.3.In 0~10 cm,10~20 cm and 0~20 cm soil layers,the order of soil quality from high to low was swamp meadow > alpine meadow >artificial grassland > alpine steppe.For each grassland the soil quality of 0~10 cm soil layer was higher than that of 10~20 cm and 0~20 cm soil layers,and the soil quality of 0~20 cm soil layer was higher than that of 10~20 cm soil layer.