Abstract: Based on the 1982-2003 NOAA/AVHRR remote-sensing data published by GIMMS and the meteorological data of 53 natural meteorological stations in Xinjiang Autonomous Region during the period of 1982-2003,dynamics of NDVI and its temporal and spatial correlation with climate was studied.Results show that within the 22 years,annual variation of NDVI generally displayed a significant rising trend,with an annual mean rising rate of 0.59%,particularly in areas along the southern fringe of the Dzungaria Basin and the southwestern edge of the Tarim Basin.In summers and autumns,NDVI was significantly related to precipitation,and in the springs and autumns it was significantly related to temperature.Areas showing the latter are distributed mainly in the mountainous areas,like Altai Mountains in the north,Tianshan Mountain in the middle,and Kunlun Mountain and Altyn in the south,while areas showing the former in the plains,low lands and oases.

Key words: vegetation, NDVI, temporal and spatial dynamics, precipitation, temperature