This study evaluated the effects of artificial Haloxylon ammodendron plantation on the concentrations and storages of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), total nitrogen (TN) and total carbon (TC) by field investigation and laboratory analysis in Minqin desert regions. And the ages of H. ammodendron plantations were 4,13, and 36 years old, respectively. Results showed that the concentrations of SOC and TN in soils of 0-50 cm depth under shrubs and between shrubs both increased with the increasing of plantation age after afforestation, whereas the highest concentrations of SIC in 5-50 cm depth soil under shrubs were observed in 13-year-old plantations. Generally, the storages of SOC and TN were both higher under shrubs than those of between shrubs in 13- and 36-year-old plantations. However, the storage of SIC was less under shrubs than that between shrubs in 13-year-old plantations. And in the soils of 5-50 cm depth, the storages of SOC, SIC and TN were less under shrubs than those of between shrubs in 4-year-old plantations. In the soils of 0-50 cm depth, the storages of SOC, SIC and TN increased by 102.44%, 24.66% and 54.55%, respectively, after afforestation. Additionally, the storages of SOC and TN declined firstly and then increased with the increasing of soil depth in 36-year-old plantation, whereas the storages of SOC, SIC and TN all increased with the increasing of soil depth in shifting sandy land, 4- and 13-year-old plantations. Overall, the proportion of SOC to TC increased with increasing of afforestation age. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that storages of SOC and TN were both significantly correlated with soil particle size distribution, soil bulk density, plantation ages and soil depth. Therefore, we concluded that afforestation in arid desert region largely improved the accumulation of soil organic carbon and total carbon pools, and the carbon storage of soil increased with the growth of forest age.