Abstract: In this study, the spatiotemporal characteristics of salinized cultivated land in Xinjiang from 2005 to 2014 were analyzed by matrix transfer method and land use dynamics. The matrix transfer method can calculate both the changes in the salinized cultivated land and transfer ratio of different degrees of salinized cultivated land from the previous period to the latter period. Our results indicate that:1)In 2005, the area of salinized cultivated land accounted for 32.07% of the total area of cultivated land. In 2014, the area of salinized cultivated land accounted for 37.72% of the total area of cultivated land. During the study period, the total area of salinized cultivated land in Xinjiang was increasing, and most of them concentrated in the new irrigation area. With the improvement of old irrigation area, the degrees of salinization damage were obviously weakened, and the salinized cultivated land showed a stable desalination trend. 2)The salinization degree was mainly mild in Xinjiang. The proportion of moderate and severe salinized cultivated land in southern Xinjiang was higher than that in northern Xinjiang. The salinization damage of cultivated land was serious in southern Xinjiang. There were some obvious differences in the structures and quantity of salinized cultivated land in various regions. The proportions of salinized cultivated land in Bazhou and Kashgar were higher than 50%, while the proportions of cultivated land in Urumqi and Yili were less than 10%. 3)There were also significant differences in the active degree of salinized cultivated land in various regions:The comprehensive dynamic degree of Karamay is the lowest, and the CLUD value was -0.39, indicating that the area of salinized cultivated land in Karamay has decreased. The CLUD values in other regions were positive, the hot spots with high comprehensive dynamics and rapid changes were mainly concentrated in southern Xinjiang, including Kezhou, Kashgar and Bazhou. Therefore, each region must formulate a plan for improving and utilizing soil salinization according to local conditions, and it must be consistent with the overall plan.

Key words: salinized cultivated land, spatiotemporal characteristics, transfer matrix, dynamics, Xinjiang