Abstract:Artificial vegetation afforestation is a sand control technology with great benefit and challenge of ecological restoration in alpine sandy land. In this paper, four artificial vegetation (Hippophae rhamnoides, Salix cheilophila, Pinus sylvestris and Populus simonii) that have been transplanted to the East Sandland of the Qinghai Lake for 8-10 years are selected, and observed from airflow change in temporal and spatial scale with methods of handheld anemometer and quadrat survey. In analysis of their airflow structure around a single plant and windbreaking function of plant community changed in species, height layers and growing periods, we found that: (1) there were significant differences in vegetation species and height layer in wind velocity decreasing extent (20%-85%) and effective protecting distance (1.0-10.0 m), prominently in S. cheilophila and P. simonii (50%-85%,3.5-8.0 m). (2) Position difference around a single plant in wind velocity showed that: windward part>bilateral part>leeward part, while almost no difference in air flow direction. (3) Windbreaking function (18%-76%) of artificial plants was outstanding in middle and lower air layers, and showed a comparison of P. sylvestris > S. cheilophila > H. rhamnoides > P. simonii. In 2008-2017, their windbreaking function increased by 5% to 15%, in accordance with their sand transport rate decreased by 30% to 90% in recent 6 years, and threshold wind velocity of sand moving increased by 2.0-3.0 m/s. In conclusion, the air flow disturbance and significant windsand protection function around plants reflected wind preventing mechanism of creating spatial differences in wind velocity and direction, and these four artificial vegetation had local feasibility in selecting 1.0 -2.0 m afforestation specifications.