Four rare shrubs found in west Ordos，including Ammopitanthus mongolicus，Tetraena mongolica，Helianthemum songoricum，and Reaumuria trigyna，were selected to study the variations of organic matter content，total N，total P and soil pH in soils of the rhizosphere and surrounding matrices． The results show that the contents of organic matter，total N，and total P of the soils in the rhizosphere were 26． 8%，19． 2%，and 13． 9%，respectively，higher than those in the surrounding matrices，while the soil pH value was 0． 23 unit lower than the average． Except for H．songoricum，soil nutrition in the rhizosphere differed significantly from that in the surrounding matrices，showing that the three shrubs have positive rhizosphere effects on soil nutrients． The rhizosphere of the four shrubs showed positive effects on nutrient enrichment，providing potential benefits to improve and restore the desert soil environment．