Pollen analysis of 23 surface samples in the east of Qaidam Basin reveals the characteristics of pollen assemblages and their relationships with vegetation and climate. In pollen assemblages, Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia are preponderant types in all the samples, and Ephedra, Gramineae and Compositae are common types. The results of DCA (Detrended Correspondance Analysis) and Correlation Analysis show different pollen assemblages indicate different vegetations, coincided with respective vegetation types. A/C (Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae) in the desert can indicate the aridity. Depending on the aridity, the vegetation communities are divided into four groups: severe drought group, moderate drought group, slight drought group and tropophilous group. A/C value is less 0.2 in the severe drought group, 0.2–0.5 in the moderate drought group, 1.63 in the slight drought group and 5.72 slight-wetness group. Pollen analysis of 23 surface samples in the east of Qaidam Basin reveals the characteristics of pollen assemblages and their relationships with vegetation and climate. In pollen assemblages, Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia are preponderant types in all the samples, and Ephedra, Gramineae and Compositae are common types . The results of DCA (Detrended Correspondance Analysis) and Correlation Analysis show different pollen assemblages indicate different vegetations, coincided with respective vegetation types. A / C (Artemisia / Chenopodiaceae) in the desert can indicate the aridity. Depending on the aridity, the vegetation communities are divided into four groups: severe drought group, moderate drought group, slight drought group and tropophilous group. A / C value is less 0.2 in the severe drought group, 0.2-0.5 in the moderate drought group, 1.63 in the slight drought group and 5.72 slight-wetness group.