As an important part of carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystem, soil respiration is of great significance to study the carbon balance of desert steppe in arid and semi-arid areas. In this study, four typical plant litters in desert steppe were selected for splintering experiments, and nitrogen and water addition experiments were set up to explore the effects of short-term nitrogen and water treatment on soil respiration under different litters on the surface of desert steppe. The results showed that the diurnal dynamics of soil respiration presented a single peak curve, and the maximum value appeared at 10:00-12:00. There were differences in soil respiration in day and night between different treatments of same litter surface and different treatments of same litter surface (P<0.05). The contribution of litter to soil respiration showed that the litter without any short-term treatment contributed the most to soil respiration, with a contribution rate of 68%-89%. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that nitrogen and the interaction between nitrogen and water had significant effects on soil respiration. Respiration was significantly different between precipitation treatments (P<0.05), showed as decrease precipitation > increased precipitation > normal; Respiration was significantly different between nitrogen treatments (P<0.001), showed as nitrogen addition > no nitrogen addition. Soil respiration was fitted with soil temperature and soil moisture. Soil temperature was significantly correlated with soil respiration under short-term nitrogen and water treatment (P<0.05). Soil temperature could explain 50.3%-69.9% of the effect on respiration. Soil moisture had no significant effect on respiration (P>0.05). The interaction of temperature and humidity had significant effect on soil respiration (P<0.05), which can explain 49.6%-72.8% of the effect on respiration. To sum up, there were differences in soil respiration between short-term nitrogen and water treatments, which were decrease precipitation > increased precipitation > normal, nitrogen addition > no nitrogen addition. In addition, soil temperature was the dominant factor affecting soil respiration. This study could provide a basis for the change of soil respiration and the response of soil respiration to nitrogen and water in desert steppe.