Abstract: In order to provide theoretical foundation for the protection and utilization of species diversity in arid desert region, the typical desert vegetation communities in Minqin Liangucheng Natural Reserve Area was used as the study object, community succession process was studied through the indexes of species diversity, soil water content and precipitation. The results showed that: (1) soil water content in different communities followed the order of typical community Ⅲ ＞ Ⅱ ＞ Ⅴ＞ Ⅳ ＞ Ⅰ; (2) species diversity index followed the order of typical community Ⅴ ＞ Ⅱ ＞ Ⅲ ＞ Ⅰ ＞ Ⅳ, the species diversity indices was low, but ecological dominance was high; (3) the amount of precipitation in 2014 was higher than that in 2013, which was 142.9 and 108.7 mm respectively, there were different levels of rain events in each month of 2014 except December. Species diversity index showed increase or decrease trend affected by precipitation, but the influencing effect had certain hysteresis, its full performance showed after a period of time. The community could keep a suitable size during the succession process, and show the greatest adaptive capacity to avoid extinction.