[Objective] The distribution of soil physical and chemical properties and herbaceous vegetation among desert shrub microhabitats and their responses to precipitation change were studied to provide a basis for artificial afforestation and desertification control under future climate change in arid desertified regions.[Methods] The afforested shrubs, including Caragana korshinskii and Artemisia ordosica, were selected as research objects. The microhabitats inside and outside shrub canopies were set as sampling sites. At each sampling site, soil water content, bulk density, pH value, electrical conductivity, total carbon, total nitrogen, and soil particle size were measured, and the distribution of herbaceous vegetation was investigated, along with the climatic gradient, in the Yuyang, Yanchi, and Shapotou areas.[Results] ① In Yuyang area, soil coarse sand content and herbaceous abundance significantly increased, while the soil bulk density and soil pH value decreased in the C. korshinskii shrub microhabitats relative to the open space. Soil clay content, total carbon, and total nitrogen significantly increased, while herbaceous abundance declined in the A. ordosica shrub microhabitats relative to the open space. In Yanchi area, soil total carbon, total nitrogen, and herbaceous plant height increased, while soil fine sand content, soil bulk density, and herbaceous species richness decreased in the C. korshinskii shrub microhabitats relative to the open space. Soil clay content and herbaceous species richness decreased in the A. ordosica shrub microhabitats relative to the open space. In Shapotou area, soil electrical conductivity decreased in the C. korshinskii shrub microhabitats, while there were no herbaceous plants observed in A. ordosica shrub microhabitats relative to the open space. ② Along with the increase in the precipitation amount from the Shapotou area toward the Yuyang area, soil fine sand content, soil bulk density, and soil electrical conductivity decreased, while soil nutrients and herbaceous species richness, abundance, and height increased.[Conclusion] The afforestation strategies in desertified regions depended on shrub species and the precipitation distribution. C. korshinskii and A. ordosica shrubs afforested in Yuyang, C. korshinskii shrubs afforested in Yanchi, and C. korshinskii shrubs afforested in Shapotou could be an option for the recovery of soil-vegetation systems in desertified regions.