Plant trait network analysis offers a powerful approach to quantifying the complex relationships among traits by capturing their topological structure, providing new insights into ecological topics such as phenotypic integration and adaptive trade-offs. However, the links between fine root trait network structure and habitats or life forms remain understudied, particularly in arid regions where ecological vulnerability is pronounced. This study constructed a trait network model based on ten fine root traits measured across 25 species (11 shrubs and 14 herbs) from arid regions in northwestern China, revealing how life form and arid habitats jointly shape network structure. The results revealed that arid habitats and life form significantly shape the fine root trait network structure in desert plants. In drier regions, shrub trait networks become loosely assembled from more modules, with specific root area, root carbon and phosphorus ratio, and root nitrogen and phosphorus ratio as hub traits, forming a hybrid adaptation dominated by conservative strategies while maintaining efficient nutrient acquisition. Conversely, herbs adopt a highly integrated and modular network structure, with root diameter and root nitrogen and phosphorus ratio as hub traits, forming a resource strategy focused on acquisition while incorporating defensive mechanisms. Our findings offer new insights into desert plant adaptation strategies through the lens of trait network architecture, which is key to predicting plant responses to environmental change.