Water-heat-salt dynamics in sandy soil are essential to design a reasonable irrigation schedule in the Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt. In order to reveal spatial and temporal rules of the water-heat-salt dynamic changes under different plant types in the region

based on the field investigation and real-time monitoring between May and September in 2015

we discussed the correlation between air temperature and soil temperature in the shelterbelt

and also analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil water and salt under different plant types. The results showed that: (1) Soil temperature was basically consistent under different plant types

and air temperature was significantly correlated with soil temperature (p < 0.01). Meanwhile

the correlation of soil temperatures in different soil layers decreased as the soil depth increased. (2) In the soil of artificial shelterbelt

the dynamics of soil water and salt displayed an obvious periodic rule. With respect to Haloxylon ammodendron

the distribution of soil water and salt displayed a single-peak curve with the peak appeared at a depth of 30 cm

while the distribution of soil water and salt in the soil under Calligonum mongolicum showed a single-peak curve with the peak occurred at a depth of 10 cm. In the 0-200 cm soil profiles

soil moisture was divided into an active layer

a weak layer

and a stable layer in the soil under Haloxylon ammodendron

but only an active layer and a weak layer in the soil under Calligonum mongolicum. (3) The soil wetting front was a semi-ellipsoid shape after drip irrigation. The affected depth of irrigation water was 0.6 m in the soil under Haloxylon ammodendron

and 1.5 m in the soil under Calligonum mongolicum. The soil salt was concentrated in the upper layer. However

soil salinization did not exist (EC was less than 1.0 mS/cm). (4) During the growing season

soil pondage was 116.34 mm in the soil under Haloxylon ammodendron

but 100.99 mm in the soil under Calligonum mongolicum. All the soil water deficit ullage was more than 270 mm. Plant types had minor influences on soil temperature. The irrigation of Calligonum mongolicum should be properly increased to maintain the health of the shelterbelt system. Our study is beneficial to provide a suitable irrigation system and approach

which can ensure the sustainable development of the shelterbelt system in the Taklimakan Desert.