The studied area is located at the southeastern edge of the steppe Uap-Ustic lsohumisols, being a transitional zone between fanning and animal husbandry, with seriously desertified lands. Although fanning was developed there on a large scale in the past decades, extensive cultivation and overuse of soil resources has made Uap-Ustic lsohumisols become seriously degraded. The soil degradation was mainly reflected in the changes of soil nutrients, soil texture and water retention. The nutrient distribution with soil depth changed towards that of Aridisol. The contents of gravel and sand increased obviously in the plough horizon. Mechanical composition of that flat farmland developed towards that of aeolian sand sediment. With the increase of farming years the degradation of nutrients, texture and bulk density weakened the soil abilities of water and fertility retention. The mitigation and control of Uap-Ustic lsohumisol degradation need to popularize protective farming techniques, remodel traditional agriculture and increase farming investment.