Abstract: Located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, the Ebinur Lake area plays a significant role for regional ecosystem. Study on soil nitrogen under 9 halophytes in this arid habitat could provide the basic data for soil improvement. A preliminary study on soil nitrogen content under the 9 halophytes was carried out. The results revealed that, in vertical profile, soil nitrogen content was holistically decreased with the increase of soil depth, soil nitrate nitrogen was the main form of available nitrogen in the study area. Soil nitrogen content was related to soil physicochemical properties, and there was a significant correlation (P＜0.01) among the content of total nitrogen, alkalihydrolyzable nitrogen and organic matter in soil. The correlations among the contents of soil alkalihydrolysable nitrogen, total nitrogen, pH value, nitrate nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen and electrical conductivity were not significant. The stepwise regression analysis revealed that the content of soil nitrate nitrogen was mainly affected by the contents of ammonium nitrogen, alkalihydrolysable nitrogen, total nitrogen and soil organic matter, then by soil bulk density and soil moisture content, and finally by pH value and electrical conductivity. The content of soil nitrate nitrogen was affected by other factors through the accumulation and decomposition of soil organic matter.

Key words: soil nutrient; , soil nitrogen, halophyte; , correlation coefficient; , vertical distribution; , regression analysis; , Ebinar Lake;Xinjiang