Greek historian, Herodotus, pointed that out over 2,400 years ago, this region is distinguished by broad expanses of grassland and by the nomadic peoples who live there, driving their herds in horseback.
Dominant grass included Stipa lessingiana Trin and Rupr, S. capillata L and Festuca rupicola Heuff.
In Kazakhstan there are large areas of semi-desert. Steppes cover vast area in almost every Asia mountains system; Stipa and Festuca dominate and include Carex brumilis.
North of the central stepped region of Mongolia are the forest steppes of southern Siberia extending up along the Selenge River to the shores of Lake Baikal.
The typical landscape consist of meadow steppes or mixed herbaceous steeps and originally feather grass interrupted by scattered stands of deciduous trees.
The oak trees in the west are supplanted by birch and aspen groves in the east. The climate also has features of both the forest and steppe regions. The winter are cold and dry and the summers are moderately warm.
Roe deer and saiga, a species of antelope, have their homes on the steppes. The ring-necked pheasant, is native to the Central Asian steppe, as are partridges, black grouse, bustards and the falcons and hawks that prey on them.
Steppes in Asia
