Steppe
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Goodnightmush
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/75.0.1.45|75.0.1.45]] to last version by Slashme (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{otheruses1|the ecological zone type}}
[[Image:Mongolia Ger.jpg|thumb|250px|Steppe in [[Mongolia]]]]
[[Image:Prokudin-Gorskii-18.jpg|thumb|250px|Steppe in [[Kazakhstan]] or [[Uzbekistan]]]]
In physical [[geography]], a '''steppe''' (from {{lang-ru|степь}} - {{IPA-ru|sʲtʲepʲ}} "a flat and arid land", {{lang-uk|степ}} - {{IPA|/stɛp/}}, {{lang-mn|тал}} - tal, {{lang-kk|дала}} - {{IPA|/dɑlɑ/}}), pronounced in English as {{IPA|/stɛp/}}, is a [[grassland]] [[plain]] without [[tree]]s (apart from those near rivers and lakes). The [[prairie]] (especially the [[shortgrass prairie]]) can be considered a steppe. It may be semi-[[desert]], or covered with [[Poaceae|grass]] or [[shrub]]s or both, depending on the [[season]] and [[latitude]]. The term is also used to denote the [[climate]] encountered in regions too dry to support a [[forest]], but not dry enough to be a desert.
Steppes are characterized by a [[continental climate|continental]] and [[dry climate]]. Peaks can be recorded in the summer of up to 40 °C and in winter -40 °C.
Besides this huge difference between summer and winter, the differences between day and night are also very great.
In the highlands of Mongolia, 30 °C can be reached during the day and sub-zero temperatures at night.
Also, the mid-latitude steppes can be summarized by hot summers and cold winters, averaging 250-500 mm (10-20 inches) of rain or equivalent in snowfall per year.
== Two types of steppe ==
Two types of steppe can be recorded<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/land/pubs/ecoregions/ecoregions.html Ecological Subregions of the United States]</ref>:
* the temperate steppe, the "true" steppe, found in [[continental climate|continental]] areas of the world; it can further be divided in other subdivisions; as can be seen [http://www.fs.fed.us/land/pubs/ecoregions/ecoregions.html here]
* the subtropical steppe, a similar association of plants that can be found in the driest areas with a [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]]-like climate; it has usually a short wet period.
Peculiar types of steppe include [[Shrub-steppe]] and [[Alpine-steppe]].
==Locations==
===Temperate steppe===
[[Image:windbreakers altai steppe.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Southern Siberian steppe: windbreaker trees in the wintertime.]]
The world's largest zone of all steppes, often referred to as "the [[Great Steppe]]", is found in southwest [[Russia]] and neighbouring countries in [[Central Asia]], stretching from [[Ukraine]] in the west to the [[Ural Mountains]] and the [[Caspian Sea]]. To the east of the Caspian Sea, the steppes extend through [[Turkmenistan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and [[Kazakhstan]] to the [[Altay Mountains|Altai]], [[Koppet Dag]] and [[Tian Shan]] ranges. The vast [[Eurasian Steppe]], as it is called, incorporates all of these steppes. The area is bordered in the north, on the eastern side of the [[Ural Mountains|Urals]], by the forested [[West Siberian Plain]] [[taiga]], extending nearly as far as the [[Arctic Ocean]].
Another large steppe area is located in the central [[United States]] and western [[Canada]]. The [[High Plains (United States)|High Plains]] steppe is the westernmost part of the [[Great Plains]] region.
[[Patagonia]] is another land dominated by a steppe. A relatively small steppe can be found in [[New Zealand]], in the inner part of the [[South Island]] and in Hungary (the [[Puszta]]).
===Subtropical steppe===
In [[Europe]], some [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] areas have a steppe-like vegetation, such as central [[Sicily]] and central-eastern [[Spain]], especially the southeastern coast (around [[Murcia]]) and places cut off from adequate moisture due to [[rain shadow]] effects such as [[Zaragoza]].
In [[Asia]], a subtropical steppe can be found in semi-arid lands that fringe the [[Thar]] desert of the [[India]]n subcontinent; in Australia it can be found in a belt surrounding the most severe deserts of the continent and around the [[Musgrave Ranges]].
In [[North America]] this environment is typical of transition areas between zones with a Mediterranean climate and true deserts, such as [[Reno, Nevada]] and the inner part of [[California]]; In [[South America]] the most important zone with a warm steppe is the [[Pampa]].
==Tropical grasslands and shrublands similar to steppe==
Other zones dominated by grasslands and [[shrubland]]s similar to steppe can be found in [[tropical climate|tropical]] areas of the world. In these locations, necessary rainfall to separate steppes from true deserts may be half as much again due to greater [[evapotranspiration]]. These include transition zones between [[savanna]] and severe desert such as the [[Sahel]] that fringes the true [[Sahara]].
Another significant "tropical steppe", noteworthy for not grading into desert, is the [[Sertão]] of northeastern Brazil.
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
{{cite book|title=Ecology and conservation of Steppe-Land birds|first=Gerard|last=Bota|publisher=Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya|date=2005|id=ISBN 84-87334-99-7}}
==See also==
<div class="references-small">
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=25%}}
*[[Shrub-steppe]]
*[[Steppe-tundra]]
*[[Alpine-steppe]]
*[[Coastal plain]]
*[[Coastal prairie]]
{{col-break|width=25%}}
*[[Field (agriculture)]]
*[[Flooded grasslands and savannas]]
*[[Flood-meadow]]
*[[Grassland]]
*[[Meadow]]
{{col-break|width=25%}}
*[[Pasture]]
*[[Plain]]
*[[Prairie]]
*[[Rangeland]]
*[[Savanna]]
{{col-break|width=25%}}
*[[Tundra]]
*[[Water-meadow]]
*[[Wet meadow]]
*[[Veld]]
{{col-end}}
</div>
==External links==
{{Commonscat|Steppes}}
*{{cite web|title=The Steppes|url=http://www.barrameda.com.ar/ecology/the-steppes.htm|publisher=barramedasoft corporation|date=1998-2008|format=html|accessdate=2008-04-04}}
[[Category:Grasslands]]
[[Category:Climate]]
[[Category:Russian loanwords]]
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[[cv:Çеçенхир]]
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[[id:Stepa]]
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[[he:הערבה האירואסייתית]]
[[ka:ველი]]
[[nl:Steppe]]
[[ja:ステップ (地形)]]
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[[pt:Estepe]]
[[ro:Stepă]]
[[ru:Степь]]
[[sl:Stepa]]
[[sr:Степа]]
[[fi:Aro]]
[[sv:Stäpp]]
[[vi:Thảo nguyên]]
[[tr:Bozkır (coğrafya)]]
[[uk:Степ]]
[[zh:沙地]]