In order to understand the effects of returned corn straw on the cropland ground arthropod community in a black soil area, an experiment with five different amounts of corn straw returned to the field 0 (CK), 9000 (SR1), 10500 (SR2), 12000 (SR3) and 13500 (SR4) kg/hm² was carried out in Zhalaid Banner of Inner Mongolia from June to September 2016. The results showed that 1820 ground arthropod individuals were captured and these were classified into 16 taxonomic groups. The number of individuals of ground arthropods was significantly increased in SR4 (P < 0.05), and the number of taxonomic groups was significantly increased in SR3 (P > 0.05). The number of individuals of ground arthropods was highest in August, and the number of taxonomic groups of ground arthropods was highest in July. The diversity and richness indexes were highest in SR4 (P < 0.05). The dominance index was highest in SR1 (P < 0.05). The evenness index was highest in CK (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that ground arthropod individuals were not only positively correlated with soil organic matter (P < 0.01), but also with average infiltration rate (P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with soil bulk density (P < 0.05). Soil temperature was obviously correlated with the number of ground arthropod taxonomic groups (P < 0.05). The richness index was obviously correlated with average infiltration rate and soil moisture content (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that ground arthropod individuals, the diversity index, and the taxa Grylloidea, Alticinae and Carabidae were most sensitive to the amount of straw returned, and could therefore be considered as evaluation indexes to judge the nutrient status after straw is returned in a black soil area in the future.