[Objective] Nebkhas, a kind of dune that is commonly distributed in arid desert areas. In this article, its forming process, morphological characteristics, ecological effects and environmental evolution were reviewed and summarized to provide knowledges for the research of its ecological mechanism and the ecological stabilization. [Method] Literatures were reviewed and summarized with regard to the development process and the formation mechanism of the nabkhas in the arid desert region. [Results] The formation and development of nebkhas, the morphology, spatial distribution, sediment characteristics were reviewed. And various ecological effects of nebkhas and the related regional environmental evolution were described. The trend of nebkhas research was prospected. [Conclusion] Research of nebkhas evolution in arid land was expected to help us to understand more about the interior relationship between the process of regional eco-environmental change and global climate change in the future.