Using 1980and 2005TM image data and applying ArcGIS and Erdas to interpret the images

theland use landscape in Guanzhong-Tianshui economic zone is divided into six types.Land use/cover changein the zone is analyzed based on ArcGIS analysis module and the corresponding landscape indexes are calculated by the landscape levels and types using and the landscape software named Fragstats.Results are as follows:(1)In the past 25years

the areas of cultivated land and unused land were decreased

while the areasof forest

grassland

water and construction land were increased.A large amount of cultivated land wastransformed to forestland

grassland and construction land.At the same time

some of grassland was reclaimed for cultivated land

but the reclaimed proportion was less than the cultivated land transformed fromgrassland.Construction land was the transformed-in land type and the quantity of transformed-out construction land was nearly negligible.(2)The landscape contagion index and dominance index were decreased

while Shannon diversity index and Shannon evenness index were increased in the study area.(3)Cultivatedland occupied a major position in Guanzhong-Tianshui District

but the landscape patch of construction land expanded to a large scale.Land use/cover change and landscape pattern in the district are discussed and landscape pattern and change characteristics in the whole district are revealed quantitatively.The study may provide scientificreference for formulating sustainable land use policies and making reasonable planning in the district.