Abstract: The Urumqi River is an inland river in the arid zone of northwest China.Because its terminal lake had dried up by the end of the 1960s, desertification occurred and presented four phases(types):aridization, salinization,sandization,and the formation of desert landscape.The succession law of soils and vegetation is Phragmites communis marsh soil→Phragmites communis meadow soil→Tamarix spp.,Karelinia caspica solonchak→Haloxylon arnmodendron,H.Persicurn gray desertisol and aeosandisol.According to this succession law,HaIoxyIon ammodendron communities will form new shelter-forests under the condition of the rational use of resources.It is necessary to set up the new balance between animals and grasses because of the decline of land productivity in the desertification.