Abstract: The Ordos Plateau is a typical area undergoing desertification in China.The desert areas of the Ordos Plateau between 1986 and 2015 were derived from remote sensing analysis and relationships between desertification area and potential driving factors,including climate and human activity,were analyzed using multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis.The results show that: (1) The year 2000 was the turning point at which the desertification of the Ordos Plateau first increased and then decreased.From 1986 to 2000,the Ordos Plateau showed general desertification expansion,especially in the west and south; during 2001-2015,the desertification area gradually decreased,with reduction mostly occurring in the eastern and southern parts of the plateau.After 2012,desert areas increasingly developed in the western part of the plateau.(2) Among the driving factors influencing the desertification of the Ordos Plateau,precipitation and population are the most significant,with precipitation being most closely related to desertification.Other factors show no significant relation to desertification.From 1986 to 2015,increased precipitation contributed to the reversal of desertification,while the rise of rural population accelerated the desertification process.

Key words: desertification, driving factors, multiple linear regression, Ordos Plateau