Based on determinations of soil moisture content and particle size

the features of soil moisture content

dried soil layer

the suitability of grassland development

soil reservoir and so on were studied in the south of the Qinghai Lake in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau.The results indicate that the soil moisture content increased with depth.Permanently dried soil layer developed at the depth of about 1m.Soil layers were increasingly dry with depth; weakly dried soil layer shifted to moderately dried soil layer from upper to lower parts of soil profiles

which could be related to the warming and drying climate and low precipitation.Although during rainy year the moisture contents of the upper soil profile were significantly higher

the dried soil layers could not receive enough water to restore in this area.The soil texture of the South Qinghai Lake was similar to silty soils found in the Loess Plateau.However

the soil was shallow

resulting in soil reservoir of poor adjustment ability.T he dried soil layer and poor soil reservoir suggested that grassland vegetation consuming less moisture are more preferable than forests in this area.