The extensive constructions of photovoltaic power stations in the desert region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may disturb the ecological environment, and it is necessary to study their impacts on vegetation communities and soil properties. In order to explore the effects of photovoltaic power station construction on vegetation communities and soil properties in the alpine desert areas, this study selected photovoltaic power stations constructed in different years (2013, 2016 and 2021) located in Talatan, a typical desert region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The study compared vegetation attributes (species, height, coverage, above-ground biomass, plant community diversity index) and soil properties (organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, pH value, and size composition) across different habitats (between photovoltaic panels, under-panel and off-site controls). RDA redundancy analysis and Mantel tests were used to explore the variations in vegetation attributes and soil properties under different photovoltaic power stations in alpine deserts and their underlying mechanisms. The results showed that: (1) Regarding different habitats, the number of vegetation species and the plant community diversity index were highest between photovoltaic panels, with Poa pratensis and Stipa capillata as the predominant species, while the number of species under controls was the lowest. At the same time, the average height and aboveground biomass between photovoltaic panels were significantly higher than other habitats, and the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were in the order of order of off-site> between photovoltaic panels > under-panel. (2) Compared with different construction years, the species richness and vegetation coverage in 2016 were the highest (47.29%), while the average height in 2021 was the highest. (3) From the perspective of time scale, the plant community diversity index increased first and then decreased with construction years, indicating that the vegetation management and protection of the power station construction was very important in the later stage. The content of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen increased with the increase of construction years, indicating that the soil quality would be gradually improved and restored after the construction of the power station. (4) RDA and Mantel test analysis showed that vegetation attributes and soil properties affected each other at different restoration stages. The relationship between vegetation attributes and soil properties was more closely related to habitats. The construction years of the power station had a significant impact on plant diversity. The disturbance to the environment caused by the construction of photovoltaic power station will affect the vegetation community and soil properties of the underlying surface. The height, aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen showed significant improvements with construction years. This study offers a significant theoretical foundation and practical recommendations for ecological environment management following the construction of photovoltaic power stations in alpine desert areas, particularly in the areas of vegetation restoration and soil remediation.