[Objective] The species composition and soil characteristics of Nitraria tangutorum community in the artificial water transfer area of Qingtu Lake was studied, in order to reveal the health status of shrub ecosystem in the study area, and to provide scientific basis for scientific protection of shrub sand pile, ecological restoration and desertification control in the study area.[Methods] Based on field vegetation survey, the physical and chemical properties of soil at different distance from water surface were studied.[Results] ① There were 18 species of plants belonged to 6 families and 17 genera in the investigated community, including 8 species of annual herbs, 6 species of perennial herbs and 4 species of shrub plants. The community structure was simple. ② The soil moisture content in 0-60 cm soil layer at different distances from the water surface showed a gradual increase trend with the increase of soil depth. As the distances were increased from the edge of the water surface, the soil moisture content of Nitraria tangutorum sand pile decreased gradually and became stable after 200 m. The mechanical composition of soil was mainly fine sand and coarse sand, and clay particle content iwas relatively low. From the water surface 0-100 m, the content of coarse sand was decreased in the 0-40 cm soil layer and the clay power particle content was great. ③ The artificial water transfer area of Qingtu Lake belonged to the area of fluvial sand, which was seriously deficient in the soil nutrients. The contents of all nutrients were low and uneven, and the soil was in a status of alkalinity. The accumulation of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and rapidly available potassium was obvious. Within the same distance from the water surface, the content of total phosphorus, total potassium, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen and available phosphorus showed no siginificant difference(p>0.05), and the change was not obvious with the increase of soil depth. ④There was a positive correlation between organic carbon content and soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available potassium and electrical conductivity(p<0.05), and there was a significant positive correlation between electrical conductivity and total nitrogen, total phosphorus and available potassium(p<0.01), while there was no significant correlation between soil available nutrient content and the total content of corresponding elements(p>0.05).[Conclusion] The vegetation community structure with different distance from water surface is simple, and many species belong to single genus and single family. Water surface formation area affects the soil water content of Nitraria tangutorum sand pile, and enhances the settlement of fine sand particles in the area near water surface. Soil nutrient content is generally low and uneven, and the phenomenon of "surface accumulation" is obvious.