Steppe - Gobi

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MONGOLIA SAIJIKI

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Steppe

***** Location: Mongolia
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Earth

*****************************Explanation

In physical geography, a steppe
(from Russian: степь, ),
is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes. The prairie (especially the shortgrass and mixed prairie) is an example of a steppe, though it is not usually called such. It may be semi-desert, or covered with grass or shrubs or both, depending on the season and latitude. The term is also used to denote the climate encountered in regions too dry to support a forest, but not dry enough to be a desert. The soil is typically of chernozem type.

Steppes are usually characterized by a semi-arid and continental climate.

Two types of steppe can be recorded:
Temperate steppe: the "true" steppe, found in continental areas of the world; it can be further subdivided as seen here
Subtropical steppe: a similar association of plants that can be found in the driest areas with a Mediterranean-like climate; it has usually a short wet period
Peculiar types of steppe include shrub-steppe and alpine-steppe

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The Mongolian-Manchurian grassland ecoregion,
also known as
the Mongolian-Manchurian steppe,
in the temperate grassland Biome, is found in Mongolia, the Chinese Autonomous region of Inner Mongolia and northeastern China.

The Mongolian-Manchurian grassland covers an area of 887,300 square kilometers (342,600 sq mi). This Palearctic temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion of the Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Biome, forms a large crescent around the Gobi Desert, extending across central and eastern Mongolia into the eastern portion of Inner Mongolia and eastern and central Manchuria, and then southwest across the North China Plain.

To the northeast and north, the Selenge-Orkhon and Daurian forest steppes form a transition zone between the grassland and the forests of Siberia to the north. On the east and southeast, the grasslands transition to temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, including the Manchurian mixed forests, Northeast China Plain deciduous forests, and Central China loess plateau mixed forests. On the southwest, the grasslands extend to the Yellow River, across which is the Ordos Plateau steppe.

FLORA
The dominant flora consists of medium to tall grasslands, dominated by feather grass (Stipa baicalensis, S. capillata, and S. grandis), Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina), Aneurolepidium chinense, Filifolium sibiricuman, and Cleistogenes sqarrosa. The drier regions surrounding the Gobi host drought-tolerant grasses, together with forbs and low, spiny shrubs.

The southwestern slopes of the Greater Khingan range support pockets of broadleaf deciduous forest, of either Mongolian Oak (Quercus mongolica), or a mixture of poplar (Populus davidiana and P. suaveolens), Siberian Silver Birch (Betula platyphylla), and willow (Salix rorida).


FAUNA
The Brown Eared-Pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) is the sole endemic bird in the ecoregion.
The Bobak Marmot (Marmota bobak), also known as the Steppe Marmot, inhabits the area
The Gray Wolf lives here.
The Mongolian Gazelle is numerous here.
The Przewalski's Horse is reintroduced here.
The Corsac Fox lives in the area.
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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


In physical geography, tundra is a biome
where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures
and short growing seasons.

***** . Tundra - a one-word haiku ? .


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HAIKU





through the steppe -
a horseman receding
to the rising sun


long song
receding to the distant steppe . . .
nostalgia

Tavanbayar Lkhagvaa
Photo by Ido

- Shared by Zaya Nergui -
Joys of Japan, 2012


Norovbanzad -
Under The Sun Of Placid World
source : www.youtube.com

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More haiku with STEPPE

source : Beyond the Limits


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Related words

Gobi
The name "Gobi" is a Mongol term for a desert steppe,
which usually refers to a category of arid rangeland with insufficient vegetation to support marmots but with enough to support camels. Mongols distinguish Gobi from desert proper, although the distinction is not always apparent to outsiders unfamiliar with the Mongolian landscape.
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quote
What Types of Plants Live in the Gobi Desert?

Shrubs
caragana shrub
gray sparrow's saltwort
gray sagebrush

Grasses
needle grass
bridlegrass

Saxauls
grow in moving sand

Wild Onion
for food and medicine

Goyo Plant
may be poisonous

Perennials and Annuals
wild leek, saksaul, elm and allium mongolicum.

Herbs
for medicinal purposes: herbs liquorice, cuscuta and austrails
source : Gail Sessoms

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Wild leek
is in spring, summer and autumn. It is used in cuisine too, like ramson. Also it is a good fodder for domestic animals. It has a cute, little pink flowers and very nice odor.

Zaya Nergui


Haiku with wild leek :
source : Beyond the Limits


. Tumbleweed .


***** . Desert 砂漠 sabaku .

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***** MONGOLIA SAIJIKI


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