Abstract: The Kubuqi Desert has a large span in the east and west, and the natural environment is obviously different. In order to clarify whether the dominant driving factors of desertification in the east and west are consistent, this paper uses six Landsat TM/OLI satellite images covering the Kubuqi Desert from 2000 to 2023 to extract the degree of desertification in the Kubuqi Desert, and explains its changing rules and dominant driving factors through landscape pattern changes and geographical factor detectors.The results showed that the desertification degree of Kubuqi Desert showed a decreasing trend in time from 2000 to 2023, and the spatial distribution trend was “high in the west and low in the east”. The desertification in Jungar Banner, Dalad Banner and Hangjin Banner was improved. The boundary of extremely severe and mild desertification patches tends to be smooth and regular, and the boundary of severe, moderate and non-desertification patches tends to be complex and irregular. The dominant landscape is shifting from severe and extremely severe desertification to mild and non-desertification.Human factors have a great influence on the desertification of the whole Kubuqi Desert, among which land use type, precipitation, wind speed and livestock number are the dominant factors affecting desertification in this area. The dominant driving factors of Dalad Banner and Hangjin Banner are consistent with the whole region. Within the scope of Jungar Banner, land use type, precipitation, relative humidity and livestock number are the dominant driving factors.

Key words: Kubuqi Desert, desertification, landscape pattern index, driving force, geographical factor detector