In physical geography, a steppe is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include:
- the montane grasslands and shrublands biome
- the temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands biome
The prairie of North America (especially the shortgrass and mixed prairie) is an example of a steppe, though it is not usually called such. A steppe may be semi-arid or covered with grass or with shrubs or with both, depending on the season and latitude. The term "steppe climate" denotes the climate encountered in regions too dry to support a forest but not dry enough to be a desert. Steppe soils are typically of the chernozem type.
Steppes are usually characterized by a semi-arid or continental climate. Extremes can be recorded in the summer of up to 45 °C (115 °F) and in winter, −55 °C (−65 °F). Besides this major seasonal difference, fluctuations between day and night are also very great. In both the highlands of Mongolia and northern Nevada, 30 °C (85 °F) can be reached during the day with sub-freezing readings at night.
Mid-latitude steppes feature hot summers and cold winters, averaging 250–510 mm (10–20 in) of precipitation per year. Precipitation level alone does not define a steppe climate; potential evapotranspiration also plays a role in the trees origin
The world's largest steppe region, often referred to as "the Great Steppe", is found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and neighbouring countries stretching from Ukraine in the west through Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the Altai, Koppet Dag and Tian Shan ranges in China.
The inner parts of Anatolia in Turkey, Central Anatolia and East Anatolia in particular and also some parts of Southeast Anatolia, as well as much of Armenia and Iran are largely dominated by cold steppe.
The Pannonian Plain is another steppe region in Central Europe, primarily Hungary.
Another large steppe area (prairie) is located in the central United States, western Canada and northern part of Mexico. The shortgrass prairie steppe is the westernmost part of the Great Plains region. The Columbia Plateau in Southern British Columbia, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington state, is an example of a steppe region in North America outside of the Great Plains.
In South America, cold steppe can be found in Patagonia and much of the high elevation regions east of the southern Andes.
Relatively small steppe areas can be found in the interior of the South Island of New Zealand.
In Europe, some Mediterranean areas have a steppe-like vegetation, such as central Sicily in Italy, southern Portugal, parts of Greece in the southern Athens area, 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 Indian subcontinent and the Badia of the Arabian peninsula.
In Australia, "subtropical steppe" 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, the inner part of California, and much of western Texas and adjacent areas in Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia contributors. "Steppe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 Apr. 2021. Web. 28 Jun. 2021.
A meadow is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grass, herbs and other non-woody plants. Meadows may be sparsely covered with trees or shrubs, as long as they maintain an open character. They may be naturally occurring or artificially created from cleared shrub or woodland. They can occur naturally under favourable conditions (see perpetual meadows), but they are often maintained by humans for the production of hay, fodder or livestock. Meadow habitats, as a group, are characterized as 'semi-natural grasslands', meaning that they are largely composed of species native to the region, with only limited human intervention.
Meadows attract a multitude of wildlife and support flora and fauna that could not thrive in other habitats. They are ecologically important as they provide areas for animal courtship displays, nesting, food gathering, pollinating insects, and sometimes sheltering, if the vegetation is high enough. There are multiple types of meadows, including agricultural, transitional and perpetual, each playing a unique and important part of the ecosystem.
Like other ecosystems, meadows will experience increased pressure (including on their biodiversity) because of climate change -- especially as precipitation and weather conditions change. However, grasslands and meadows also have an important climate change mitigation potential as carbon sinks; deep rooted grasses store a substantial amount of carbon in soil.
Source: Wikipedia contributors. "Meadow." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Jun. 2021. Web. 28 Jun. 2021.
A discovery by Eva in habitat Agricultural meadow on 04.06.2021. Thomisidae (Thomisidae) is a family of arachnids. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Agriculturalmeadow
A discovery by Danny VG in habitat Garden on 08.06.2021. Hoplodrina ambigua (Hoplodrina ambigua) is a species of insect. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
A discovery by Danny VG in habitat Garden on 08.06.2021. Hoplodrina ambigua (Hoplodrina ambigua) is a species of insect. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
A discovery by Eva in habitat Park on 03.06.2021. Cyclophora punctaria (Cyclophora punctaria) is a species of insect. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Park
A discovery by Danny VG in habitat Garden on 08.06.2021. Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) is a species of insect. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
A discovery by Eva in habitat Garden on 24.05.2021. Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) is a species of insect. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
A discovery by Danny VG in habitat Garden on 08.06.2021. Wittia sororcula (Eilema sororcula) is a species of moth. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
A discovery by Eva in habitat Garden on 30.05.2021. Cetonia aurata (Cetonia aurata) is a species of beetle. Post your nature observations of Animal sightings in the NatureSpots App, too! #NatureSpots #Animal #Garden
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