Abstract:To explore the effect of vegetation types on soil nutrients,the desertification area of Huan county,Gansu province was chosen as the research area,Populus hopeiensis forest (PHF),Caragana korshinskii forest (CKF) and Sabina procumbens forest (SVF) planted at the same time under similar site conditions were taken as the research objects.,Ssoil samples in 0~20 cm,20~40 cm and 40~60 cm layers were collected to measure and analyze the change and difference in nutrient index among vegetation types and soil layers.Results showed that:(1) Nitrate nitrogen,ammonium nitrogen and available potassium in the three vegetation types showed obvious surface accumulation effects.(2) The effect of vegetation types on soil nutrient differed with the change of soil depth.,Iin 0~20 cm layer,the content of organic carbon,total nitrogen,nitrate nitrogen,ammonium nitrogen and available potassium in CKF and SVF were significantly higher than those in PHF.In 20~40 cm layer,nitrate nitrogen and,ammonium nitrogen were markedly different among three vegetation types,taking in the order of CKF >SVF >PHF.,Tthe content of organic carbon content in CKF was significantly higher than that in PHF,and the available potassium in SVF was obviously higher than the other two types.(3) C/N and N/P in three vegetation types were lower than the national average.,indicating Tthe level of C and N was low,and C/N and N/P in CKF were significantly higher than those in PHF in the layer of 0~40 cm.(4) Principal component analysis showed that the soil nutrient of the three vegetation types was as follows:SVF>CKF>PHF.ThereforeThe results suggest,S.abina procumbens can be used as the preferred tree species for vegetation restoration in this area.