A laboratory simulated freeze-thaw was conducted to determine the effects of freeze-thaw on soil nutrient availability in temperate semi-arid regions. Soil samples were collected from sandy soils （0-20 cm） of three typical ecosystems （grassland, Mongolian pine plantation and poplar plantation） in southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands of China and subjected to freeze-thaw treatment （-12℃ for 10 days, then r 20℃ for 10 days） or incubated at constant temperature （20℃ for 20 days）. Concentrations of the soil NO3^--N, NH4^＋-N, NaHCO3 extractable inorganic P （LPi） and microbial biomass P （MBP） were determined on three occasions： at the start of the incubation, immediate post-thawing and at the 10th day post-thawing. The results showed that soil net nitrification and N mineralization rates at three sites were negatively affected by freeze-thaw treatment, and decreased by 50%-85% as compared to the control, of which the greatest decline occurred in the soil collected from poplar plantation. In contrast, the concentration of soil NH4^＋-N, NaHCO3 extractable inorganic P （LPi） and microbial biomass P were insignificantly influenced by freeze-thaw except that LPi and NH4^＋-N showed a slight increase immediate post-thawing. The effects of freeze-thaw on soil N transformation were related to soil biological processes and the relatively constant available P was ascribed to severe soil aridity.
