Abstract: Species diversity is a measure of community structure and functional complexity,and the species is a basic unit of the species diversity and the most important measure of species diversity. In the natural community species composition and the structure is the result of the long-term adaptation to the environment. Haloxylon ammodendron community is a major plant community at periphery area of Karamay,species diversity level is not high and the community structure is single. Choosing four sample areas,we had investigated Haloxylon ammodendron community species diversity,and analyzed the correlation between four species diversity index with soil characteristics at periphery area of Karamay. The result as follows:① Shannon-Wiener diversity index,Gleason richness index,Pielou evenness index first increases then decreases from piedmont frontier to the desert,Simpson dominance index first decreases then increases;② There are differences in soil layers pH value,soil total salt content,and ion content of K⁺,Cl^-,SO^2-₄,Ca²⁺ at different sample areas. Variation of pH value was small,soil total salt content shows clay>alluvial fan gravel desert>pluvial gravel desert>desert. Other salt ions show that the same trend with soil total salt content. ③ According to the result of multiple liner regression between diversity index and soil characteristics at different layers,soil index had certain correlation with diversity index at different layers,pH value,soil total salt content and ion content of K⁺,Cl^-,SO^2-₄,Ca²⁺ had main influence on the diversity index,while ion of HCO^-₃ is lower. The study result could provide the theory basis for urban peripheral damaged vegetation restoration and biodiversity protection in Karamay City.

Key words: Haloxylon ammodendron community, species diversity, soil physical and chemical properties, correlation, Karamay, Xinjiang