An experiment was conducted to reveal vegetation characteristics and soil properties under four different habitats in the transitional zone in south fringe of Mu Us sandy land and to explore sandy desertification status in the region.Results showed that total vegetation coverage,herbaceous coverage,and species richness were all decreased,and perennial species gradually gave place to psammophyte annuals,shrubs,and semi-shrubs from gentle slope hilly ridge,through saline bottomland and fixed and semi-fixed dune,and to shifting and semi-shifting dune.Landform units,in terms of soil water content,were in the ascendant order of shifting and semi-shifting dune,fixed and semi-fixed dune,gentle slope hilly ridge,and saline bottomland.Soil clay and silt particles,organic matter,total N and other nutrient contents decreased,while soil sand particles increased from gentle slope hilly ridge to shifting and semi-shifting dune as a whole.Changes of pH and soluble salinity concentrations had no obvious laws observed.Overall,vegetation was unstable,floristic composition was dominated by adversity-resistant species,and annual species had a higher ratio in this region.The dominant soil particle was sand and soil water and other nutrient contents were low.The eco-environment was fragile and erodible.