Xilinhot City is located in the center of the Xinlinhot steppe grassland

and is the most representat ive ofsteppe grassland in northern China.Ecological and environmental problems in the Xinlinhot have become more andmore severe in recent years.In this study

based on the land use/cover data in 1995 and 2000

the land use/ coverchange in Xilinhot area was examined using GIS.The changes of land use/ cover type and magnitude and landscapest ructure were analyzed.During the 5 years

degradat ion of grassland resources of Xilinhot was significant.Thehigh coverage grasslands decreased remarkably and turned into medium

low coverage grassland and unable lands.As a result

medium coverage grasslands

low coverage grasslands and unable lands increased.Grasslands developedtow ards badness.Human activities such as tow n expansion and the turning grasslands into arable lands

etc.

alsodestroyed many high and medium coverage g rasslands.The level of landscape heterogeneity increased and the land use/cover developed tow ardsdiversification and uniformity.The landscape structure of Xilinhot became fragmentized for human beings unreasonable use and int rusively dest roy

and the f ragmentation of grasslands was most obvious.Grassland resources is vital to social and economy development of Xilinhot.Deg radation and fragmentationof grasslands cause serious social

economic and environmental problems

which influences the production of agriculture and stockbreeding and sustainable development of the environment.It is time to take some measures to resolvethe problems.