Steppe Essay ⋆ Environment Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

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The steppe, a semiarid ecosystem, can be defined in terms of climatic conditions or vegetative land cover. In terms of climate, the steppe is considered semi-desert. According to the popular Koppen climate classification system, the steppe corresponds to the BSk (mid-latitude, cold, and semiarid) and BSh (low latitude, hot, and semiarid) climate types. The steppe in low latitude regions features yearly average precipitation typically between 15 inches (38 centimeters) and 30 inches (76 centimeters), while that in mid-latitude regions features typical yearly average precipitation between 10 inches (25 centimeters) and 25 inches (64 centimeters). The subtropical steppe (BSh) and mid-latitude steppe (BSk) climates are found fringing deserts in the far interior of large landmasses or in the distant reaches of the rain shadow of major mountain ranges. In both cases, the steppe receives slightly more precipitation than the bordering desert, but remains dry enough to be considered semiarid.

The steppe climates are primarily concentrated in central Eurasia (easily the largest geographical coverage), interior North America, and the Sahel region in Africa. Smaller concentrations of steppe climates are found in Argentina, southern Africa, and Australia.

A more geographically-limiting definition of the steppe corresponds to the major mid-latitude grassland biome. This region, featuring the dominant grass vegetation cover, stretches across the vast Eurasian continent and the interior of North America. Smaller areas of this biome exist in Argentina and South Africa. While this biome includes areas that receive sufficient precipitation to support tall prairie grasses, the steppe is limited to those drier areas that support only shorter grasses. While trees and larger vegetation can be found near rivers, the steppe also features barren landscapes with isolated tufts of bunchgrass.

While steppe regions exist in the western Great Plains of North America, the world’s most expansive steppe stretches across mid-latitude Asia. The vast Eurasian Steppe stretches nearly 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) from eastern Hungary in the west to northeastern China in the east. The northern boundary of the Eurasian Steppe nudges into Russia’s Siberia and Mongolia, while the southern reaches extend into Tibet (China’s Xizang Autonomous Republic). Encompassed within are portions of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Xinjiang (China’s Uyghur Autonomous Republic).

Traditionally a region of nomadic pastoralism (grazing livestock on steppe grasses and moving from plain to plain with the seasons), the Eurasian Steppe gave rise to some of the most feared warriors and expansive empires in world history. Nomadic armies, wielding bow and arrow and riding on horseback, effectively conquered under-matched sedentary populations. During the 4th century C.E., Attila established the Hun Empire between the Ural and Carpathian Mountains and succeeded in mounting terrorizing raids into Europe. In the 13^th century, Genghis Khan conquered the entire waist of the Eurasian continent, forming the vast Mongol Empire stretching from Ukraine and northern Turkey in the west, southeast through Iran and to the Indus River, and eastward through China to the Pacific Ocean. The 14th century witnessed the rise of Timur (Tamerlane), whose empire stretched from the Black Sea through the Caucasus and Persia, and eastward to the Tien Shan Mountains.

Today, the world’s grassland steppe faces a number of environmental challenges, including overgrazing of livestock and subsequent desertification. Growth in human populations, increases in livestock numbers, and unsustainable grazing practices has devastated much of the steppe grasslands, resulting in the encroachment of deserts and fierce sandstorms.

Bibliography:

Rene Grousset, The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia (Rutgers University Press, 1970);
Robert Marquand, “Beijing Fends off Monsters on Its Steppes,” Christian Science Monitor (v.94, 2002);
Tom McKnight and Darrel Hess, Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation (Prentice Hall, 2002).