All Topics  
Shrub-steppe

 
Shrub Steppe

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Shrub-steppe
 
 
  Topics Shrub-steppe Topic Home

Shrub-steppe is a type of low rainfall natural grassland
Grassland

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found....
. Shrub-steppes are distinguishable from deserts, which are too dry to support a noticeable cover of perennial grasses or other shrubs, while the shrub-steppe has sufficient moisture levels to support a cover of perennial grasses and/or shrubs.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Shrub-steppe'
Start a new discussion about 'Shrub-steppe'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Sagebrush
Shrub-steppe is a type of low rainfall natural grassland
Grassland

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found....
. Shrub-steppes are distinguishable from deserts, which are too dry to support a noticeable cover of perennial grasses or other shrubs, while the shrub-steppe has sufficient moisture levels to support a cover of perennial grasses and/or shrubs. Rainfall is less than 180 mm or 7" per year.

North America

The shrub steppes of North America occur in the western United States and Canada, between the Pacific Coast Ranges
Pacific Coast Ranges

The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along the west coast of North America from Alaska south to northern and central Mexico....
 and Sierra Nevada on the west and the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometre from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States....
 on the east. They extend from south-central British Columbia
British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's Provinces and territories of Canada and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ....
 into southeastern Washington
Washington

Washington is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute....
 eastern Oregon
Oregon

Oregon is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders, explorers and settlers....
, and eastern California
California

California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
, through Idaho
Idaho

The State of Idaho is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and Capital is Boise, Idaho....
, Nevada
Nevada

Nevada is a U.S. state located in the Western United States of the United States of America. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas, Nevada....
, and Utah
Utah

The State of Utah is a western United States U.S. state of the United States. It was the List of U.S. states by date of statehood admitted to the United States on January 4, 1896....
, and into western Wyoming
Wyoming

The State of Wyoming is a sparsely populated U.S. state in the Northwestern United States of the United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains, while the easternmost section of the state is a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains ....
 and Colorado
Colorado

The State of Colorado is a U.S. state located in the Mountain States of the United States of America. Colorado may also be considered to be a part of the Western United States and Southwestern United States regions of the United States....
. Growth is primarily low-lying shrubs, such as sagebrush
Sagebrush

Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby species in the genus Artemisia native to North America:*Artemisia arbuscula ? Little Sagebrush, Low Sagebrush...
.

Shrub-steppe ecoregions of North America include:
  • Colorado Plateau shrublands: northern Arizona
    Arizona

    The State of Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix, Arizona....
    , western Colorado
    Colorado

    The State of Colorado is a U.S. state located in the Mountain States of the United States of America. Colorado may also be considered to be a part of the Western United States and Southwestern United States regions of the United States....
    , eastern Utah
    Utah

    The State of Utah is a western United States U.S. state of the United States. It was the List of U.S. states by date of statehood admitted to the United States on January 4, 1896....
    , and northern and central New Mexico
    New Mexico

    New Mexico is a U. S. State located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. Inhabited by Native Americans in the United States populations for many centuries, it has also has been part of the Spanish Empire viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S....
  • Great Basin shrub steppe: eastern California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
    , central Nevada
    Nevada

    Nevada is a U.S. state located in the Western United States of the United States of America. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas, Nevada....
    , western Utah
    Utah

    The State of Utah is a western United States U.S. state of the United States. It was the List of U.S. states by date of statehood admitted to the United States on January 4, 1896....
    , and southeastern Idaho
    Idaho

    The State of Idaho is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and Capital is Boise, Idaho....
    .
  • Mojave desert
    Mojave Desert

    The Mojave Desert , , locally referred to as the High Desert, occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, in the United States....
    : southeastern California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
    , southern Nevada
    Nevada

    Nevada is a U.S. state located in the Western United States of the United States of America. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas, Nevada....
    , and northwestern Arizona
    Arizona

    The State of Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix, Arizona....
    .
  • Snake-Columbia shrub steppe: south-central Washington
    Washington

    Washington is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute....
    , southwestern Oregon
    Oregon

    Oregon is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders, explorers and settlers....
    , northeastern California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
    , northern Nevada
    Nevada

    Nevada is a U.S. state located in the Western United States of the United States of America. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas, Nevada....
    , and central Idaho
    Idaho

    The State of Idaho is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and Capital is Boise, Idaho....
    .
  • South Okanagan
    Okanagan

    The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a List of regions of Canada located in the Provinces and territories of Canada of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canada portion of the Okanogan River....
    -Similkameen shrub steppe: Oliver
    Oliver, British Columbia

    Oliver, British Columbia, is a small town located in the South Okanagan. Billing itself as the "Wine Capital of Canada," Oliver is renowned for its high quality wine....
    -Osoyoos area of the Okanagan
    Okanagan

    The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a List of regions of Canada located in the Provinces and territories of Canada of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canada portion of the Okanogan River....
     Valley, and the Keremeos area of the Similkameen Country
    Similkameen Country

    The Similkameen Country, also referred to as the Similkameen District but generally referred to simply as The Similkameen, is a region roughly coinciding with the basin of the river of the same name in the British Columbia Interior....
     in British Columbia
    British Columbia

    British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's Provinces and territories of Canada and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ....
    .
  • Wyoming Basin shrub steppe: central Wyoming
    Wyoming

    The State of Wyoming is a sparsely populated U.S. state in the Northwestern United States of the United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains, while the easternmost section of the state is a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains ....
    , reaching into south-central Montana
    Montana

    Montana is a U.S. state in the Western United States. The western third of the state contains numerous mountain ranges; other 'island' ranges are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains....
    , northeastern Utah
    Utah

    The State of Utah is a western United States U.S. state of the United States. It was the List of U.S. states by date of statehood admitted to the United States on January 4, 1896....
    , southwestern Idaho
    Idaho

    The State of Idaho is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and Capital is Boise, Idaho....
    , and northwestern Colorado
    Colorado

    The State of Colorado is a U.S. state located in the Mountain States of the United States of America. Colorado may also be considered to be a part of the Western United States and Southwestern United States regions of the United States....
    .


See also

  • Arid Lands Ecology Reserve
    Arid Lands Ecology Reserve

    The Arid Land Ecology Reserve is the largest tract of shrub-steppe ecosystem remaining in the U.S. state of Washington. It is managed for the U.S....
     (in Washington state in the US)
  • Deserts and xeric shrublands
    Deserts and xeric shrublands

    Desert and xeric shrublands is a biome characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture. Deserts and xeric shrublands receive an annual average rainfall of ten inches or less, and have an arid or hyperarid climate, characterized by a strong moisture deficit, where annual potential loss of moisture from evapotransp...
  • Sagebrush steppe
    Sagebrush steppe

    The sagebrush steppe is a kind of shrub-steppe, a dry environment found in the western United States and Canada. It can be identified by the sagebrush, shrubs, and short bunch grass that grow in it....
  • Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
    Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

    Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a biome whose predominant vegetation consists of grasses and/or shrubs. The climate is temperate and semi-arid to semi-humid....


External links