Research on interaction and processes between plant community succession and soil property changes has significant implications for understanding evolution of ecosystem structure and function. In this paper, plant species composition, characteristics in soil physical and chemical properties and vegetation-soil interactions in the degraded succession stage of shrub meadow community were investigated in the valleys of Qilian Mountains. Within a small spatial scale in the edge of forest in the valley of southern of mountains, plant community patch evolved from Potentilla fruticosa community to Potentilla fruticosa- Iris lacteal patch, and further to Iris lacteal community patch. The vegetative coverage decreased, but the species diversity increased. There was an evident gradient change in soil water content among different vegetative patches, showing that soil water availability resulted in the succession in vegetative community patches. The evolution of vegetative patch has a strong influence on soil physical and chemical properties. From Potentilla fruticosa patch to Iris lacteal patch, soil bulk density significantly increased, the proportion of larger macro-aggregate fractions (>1mm) decreased and that of small macro-aggregate (1-0.25mm) and micro-aggregate fractions (<0.25mm) increased, and aggregate stability decreased, suggesting that soil structure degraded. Soil organic carbon concentration (SOC) decreased by 31. 2% and 55.9% in Potentilla fruticosa-Iris lacteal patch and Iris lacteal patch, respectively, compared with Potentilla fruticosa patch. Also, OC concentration in dry-sieved aggregate classes was higher in the Potentilla fruticosa patch than in the other two patches. There is a close linear relationship between SOC and mean weight diameter of dry-sieved aggregates (DMWD). Loss of SOC in the degraded succession of vegetation is partly due to the breakdown of macro-aggregates. Total and available nitrogen concentrations decreased significantly from Potentilla fruticosa patch to Iris lacteal patch, but the decreased extent is less than that of SOC, resulting in a decreased C/N in Iris lacteal patch. However, the differences in total and available phosphorus and potassium nutrients among different vegetative patches were not observed. The degradation of soil structure due to macro-aggregate breakdown and the decline in SOC and nitrogen availability resulted in the decrease in resistance to erosion and in the function of water and soil conservation, and in turn, further accelerate degraded succession of vegetation. Under the drive of drought due to global climate warming, Iris lacteal community patch may further develop towards forest line and shrub meadow vegetation may further degrade and shrink.