[Objective] The characteristics of land use change and its influence on desert woodland dynamic pattern of desert oasis ecotone in the middle reaches of the Tarim River Xiaotang area were analyzed in order to provide theoretical foundation for rational utilization of land resources and protection of desert woodland resources. [Methods] Based on the data interpreted from 4 remote sensing images in different periods from 1973 to 2010, the dynamics of desert woodland was analyzed. [Results] The coverage of desert woodland decreased from 21.9% in 1973 to 16.9% in year 2010, and was the most varied land use pattern. From 1973 to 2010, desert woodland decreased by 13.19%, mainly transformed into farmland, and the annual change rate had increasing trend. [Conclusion] In recent 40 years, resulted from the continuous soil development by human, the desert woodland in the research area was in a constant state of degradation, and it might further pose some threats to the region's ecological security.