Scientists Say: Steppe

birds: Warm-blooded dinosaurs with wings that first showed up at least 150 million years ago. Birds are jacketed in feathers and produce young from the eggs they deposit in some sort of nest. Most birds fly, but throughout history there have been the occasional species that don’t.

climate: The weather conditions that typically exist in one area, in general, or over a long period.

condense: To become thicker, denser or to distill out the essence of something. This can occur, for instance, when moisture evaporates out of a liquid. Condense also can mean to change from a gas or a vapor into a liquid. (This can occur when water molecules in the air join together to become droplets of water.) It can also mean to identify the central meaning of something through analysis of data or through discussions.

ecosystem: A group of interacting living organisms — including microorganisms, plants and animals — and their physical environment within a particular climate. Examples include tropical reefs, rainforests, alpine meadows and polar tundra. The term can also be applied to elements that make up some artificial environment, such as a company, classroom or the internet.

Equus: A genus of animals that includes horses, donkeys, asses and zebras. Animals in this group are also known as equines.

extinct: (n. extinction) An adjective that describes a species for which there are no living members.

forest: An area of land covered mostly with trees and other woody plants.

livestock: Animals raised for meat or dairy products, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and geese. In some cases, farmed insects are referred to as mini-livestock.

predator: (adjective: predatory) A creature that preys on other animals for most or all of its food.

prey: (n.) An organism hunted by another, often for food. (v.) To attack and eat another organism.

shrub: A perennial plant that grows in a generally low, bushy form.

Siberia: A region in northern Asia, almost all of which falls within Russia. This land takes its name from the language of the Tatar people, where Siber means sleeping land. This region is vast. It has become famous for its long, harsh winters, where temperatures can fall to −68° Celsius (−90° Fahrenheit).

steppes: Vast, grassy temperate-zone plains. The best known is one vast region that spans from southeastern Europe on into and through much of central Asia. The American prairie is another well-known steppe. These landscapes are defined by their semi-arid climate, with hot summers and cold winters. Annual rainfalls typically total only about 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches).

temperate: In geography, areas that are cooler than the tropics but warmer than polar regions.

vegetation: Leafy, green plants. The term refers to the collective community of plants in some area. Typically these do not include tall trees, but instead plants that are shrub height or shorter.

water vapor: Water in its gaseous state, capable of being suspended in the air.