Abstract: In this study, 3 natural ecosystem land use modes(abandoned land, shrub land and natural forest) and 4 artificial ecosystems(artificial forest, Zea mays land, Juglans regia forest, and Actinidia chinensis forest) were taken as the objects of the study, and the characteristics of soil water-holding indexes and soil properties were measured to investigate the differences in soil water-holding capacity among different land use modes of the peak cluster depression of the rocky desertification area. The results showed that the soil properties of natural ecosystems were better than those of artificial ecosystems. In particular, the soil physico-chemical properties, fractal dimension and enzyme activity of the irrigated grassland and Z. mays land were better than those of the other land uses in the system, respectively. Natural ecosystem had a greater water-holding capacity than artificial ecosystem. The soil water-holding characteristics of natural ecosystem all showed shrub land>abandoned land>natural forest, the soil water-holding characteristics of artificial ecosystem all showed Z. mays land>artificial forest> J. regia forest>A. chinensis forest. The results of correlation analysis showed that the bulk density, the total porosity, organic matter content, particle composition and soil enzyme activities all affect soil water-holding, and the results of principal component analysis showed that the cumulative contribution of clay, sand, sucrase, urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, maximum water holding capacity and capillary water holding capacity to soil water-holding capacity was 83.901%. To improve the water-holding capacity of soil in the peak cluster depression of rocky desertification areas, human disturbance should be minimized in disturbed abandoned land, shrubland, artificial forests, and natural forests, which experience less human activity. Conversely, in areas like Z. mays land, J. regia forest, and A. chinensis forest, where human disturbance is higher, efforts should focus on reducing disturbance, while increasing vegetation cover. Overall, during the restoration and management of rocky desertification areas in the peak cluster depression, shrubland should be the preferred land use.