Based on the thematic maps(TM) images from remote sensing in different time intervals and supported by GIS

we extracted the area of degraded land in Daqing City.Then we studied the temporal-spatial changes of land degradation from 1988 to 2001 and analyzed the effects of precipitation

aridity

and the ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature on land degradation.At last

using principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis

we analyzed the major driving forces of land degradation.Results show that the area of degraded land increases continuously and the change of the area is very evident.Where the precipitation is 400 mm

the index of aridity is 1.14 and the ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature is 2 780 ℃.The magnitude of land degradation changes sharply.The social economic factors of cultivated land

population

and oil exploitation are the main driving forces for land degradation in Daqing City.