Lakes　in　arid　northwestern　China,　as　the　main　pollutant-holding　water　bodies　in　the　typical　ecologically　fragile　areas,　are　facing　the　unknown　risk　of　exposure　to　antibiotics　and　antibiotic　resistance　genes　(ARGs).　In　this　study,　five　ARGs　and　one　mobile　genetic　element　(intI1)　and　their　relation　with　antibiotics,　microbial　communities　and　water　quality　were　investigated　in　Ebinur　Lake　Basin,　a　typical　salt-lake　of　China.　Quantitative　PCR　analysis　indicated　that　ARGs　decreasing　order　in　both　surface　water　and　sediment　was　sul1　sul2　＞tetW＞ermB＞qnrS,　which　means　sulfonamide　resistance　genes　were　the　main　pollution　ARGs.　Macrolide　antibiotics　were　the　predominant　antibiotics　in　the　surface　water　and　sediment　in　winter,　while　sulfonamides　and　quinolones　accounted　for　a　high　proportion　in　summer.　There　was　a　non-corresponding　relationship　between　ARGs　and　antibiotics.　Moreover,　the　relationship　between　ARGs　and　microbial　communities　were　defined.　Sulfonamide　resistance　genes　were　carried　by　a　greater　diversity　of　potential　host　bacteria　(76　genera)　than　other　ARGs　(9　genera).　And　their　positive　correlation　with　intI1　(p　＜　0.05)　which　promotes　their　migration　and　provides　possibility　of　their　co-occurrence　in　bacterial　populations　(e.g.,　Nitrospira).　Bacterial　genera　were　the　main　driver　of　ARGs　distribution　pattern　in　highly　saline　lake　sediment.　Environmental　factors　like　salinity,　total　nitrogen　and　organic　matter　could　have　a　certain　influence　on　the　occurrence　of　ARGs　by　affecting　microorganisms.　The　results　systematically　show　the　distribution　and　propagation　characteristics　of　ARGs　in　typical　inland　salt-lakes　in　China,　and　preliminarily　explored　the　relationship　between　ARGs　and　antibiotics,　resistance　genes　and　microorganisms　in　lakes　in　ecologically　fragile　areas.