Abstract: Based on RS and GIS techniques, and combining with digital terrain index and land use degree composite index, this paper studied the changes of land use pattern in Qixia City of Shandong Province form 1987 to 2003, and quantitatively analyzed the land use degree on terrain gradient. The results indicated that in the City, construction land had obvious advantageous on lower terrain niche, the advantageous terrain niche section of orchard increased by six terrain niche and distributed from aggregation to uniformity, while the advantageous terrain niche of crop land, forest land, grass land, water area, and unutilized land generally remained stable during the study period. According to the quantitative expression of land use degree on terrain gradient, terrain niche was divided into three sections, i.e., 1〖KG-*2〗-〖KG-*7〗15, 16〖KG-*2〗-〖KG-*7〗30, and 31〖KG-*2〗-〖KG-*7〗50, which occupied 4948%, 4358%, and 694% of the total study area, respectively.

Key words: Luochuan highland, apple orchard, soil moisture, soil nutrient, deep layer soil.