Ecology

Young sage brush

The name “Shrub-steppe” comes from the abundance of sage brush and other “shrubs” and the Russian word “steppe” meaning “vast treeless plain”. This landscape dominates the Mid-Columbia Basin. The plant community found in this habitat is made up of a few perennial grasses, such as wheatgrass and bluegrass, along with an overlay of shrubs. The most common shrub is big sagebrush, but the landscape also is home to other types such as rabbit brush, greasewood, hop sage, bitterbrush, and buckwheat. Eastern Washington has historically been dominated by the Shrub-steppe landscape.

Pygmy Rabbit

The shrub-steppe habitat is mostly very dry and arid throughout the year. The summer months brings very little precipitation and temperatures during the day average to around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The average temperature drops drastically during the winter months to around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall in the region comes out to be about 10-15 inches per year.

Many of the species of wildlife found in shrub-steppe are found exclusive to this habitat. Pygmy rabbits, ground squirrels, and sage sparrows are two of many species in the group called “sagebrush obligates” that have specifically adapted to this climate and habitat. Various other mammals, birds, and reptiles are found primarily in shrub-steppe communities.