Ағашсыз дала өңірі және экологиялық аймақ типі

Ecoregion of plain grasslands without trees
the ecological zone type

In physical geography, a steppe (/s//t//ɛ//p/) is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without closed forests except near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include:

the montane grasslands and shrublands biome
the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome
the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome

A steppe is usually covered with grass and shrubs, depending on the season and latitude. The term steppe climate denotes a semi arid climate, which is encountered in regions too dry to support a forest, but not dry enough to be a desert. Steppes are usually characterized by a semi arid or continental climate. Extremes can be recorded in the summer of up to 45 °C (113 °F) and in winter of down to 55 °C ( 67 °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 (86 °F) can be reached during the day with sub freezing readings at night. Steppes average of annual precipitation and feature hot summers and cold winters when located in mid latitudes. In addition to the precipitation level, its combination with potential evapotranspiration defines a steppe climate.

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 as well as much of the Deccan Plateau in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, and the Badia of the Levant. 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.