As an special process for soils in the regions of high altitude, the freeze-thaw process directly or indirectly influences the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. Under the background of the global warming, increasing attention has been paid to the effect of soil freezing-thawing alternation on carbon cycles. By measuring the changes of depth of seasonal frozen soil, of soil properties and soil respiration, our main objective was to provide insight into the responses of soil properties and soil respiration to changes in depth of seasonal frozen soil in arid area, and to further elaborate the effect of global warming on seasonal frozen soil and the resulted carbon release. Soil respiration rate (Rs) of Ebinur Lake area was measured from January to April in 2010 in the field using an automated CO₂ efflux system (LI-8100). Meanwhile, temperature (air temperature), atmospheric relative humidity and wind speed were measured 150 cm above the ground. Temperature, atmospheric relative humidity and wind speed were also measured at 10 cm above the ground, with a handheld weather instrument. Soil temperatures were measured at 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm and 25 cm below soil surface with two geo-thermometers. The results showed that: during the frozen period, soil temperature is the most important factor determining the depth of frozen soil, while during thawing period, the depth of frozen soil was not influenced by temperature (P > 0.05). There was significant positive correlation between soil respiration rate and depth of frozen soil during most of the freezing period (R²=0.782, P < 0.05), this correlation did not apply to the initial stage of freezing period (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in soil respiration rate between the freezing period and the initial stage of freezing period, but soil respiration rate significantly increased with the temperature during thawing period until the soil was unfrozen completely (the changes was 0.14-0.37μmol·m^-2·s^-1), indicating that permafrost melting significantly increased soil carbon emissions. Climate change impact on seasonal frozen soil depth, on the duration of frozen period, will change the seasonal crop production in permafrost regions. The natural vegetation biomass, spatial distribution pattern of vegetation and ranges of natural native plants distribution will also be changed. Even the plant community succession direction and patterns may also be altered by the changes in duration and depth of frozen soil. All those will affect the ecosystem carbon cycling process. The difference in soil respiration rate of different periods was influenced by soil organic content, snow-melt recharging to soil water and other factors, which may have a collectively effect on carbon cycle of the local ecosystem. Our preliminary findings in the current study revealed the impacts of seasonal frozen-thawing process on soil respiration in Ebinur Lake area, and provided theoretical basis for revealing carbon release mechanism during frozen-thawing processes under the background of global warming.