Abstract: 【Objective】 This research aims to clarify the effect of short-term fencing on the community characteristics and the plant diversity, which might provide a theoretical basis for the scientific management and recovering of the degraded grassland. 【Method】 The Seriphidium transilliense deserts of fencing 3 years in Manas County were as research object, and the community characteristics, plant diversity indexes of the fencing plot and the grazing plot indifferent growing season (May, July and September) were measured and analyzed by using the method of sampling field survey. 【Result】 (1) Compared with grazing plot, the community height, coverage and biomass of S. transilliense deserts in fencing plot were significantly increased (P<0.05) by 52.55%-91.80%, 40.28%~-108.75% and 44.36%-75.32%, respectively, while the responses of plant diversity indexes to fencing were relative low as a whole; (2) The community coverage, density, Margalef index, Shannon-Wiener index and Simpson index inside and outside the fence in May were significantly higher than in July and September (P<0.05), and the community height were significantly lower than in July and September (P<0.05), whereas the community biomass were not significantly different between the months (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 Short-term fencing (3a) is beneficial to the restoration of vegetation in degradedS. transiliense deserts, but it has relative low effect on plant diversity.