Best developed in the midlatitude and subtropical zones where distinct summer and winter seasons occur with a fairly long dry season.
Rainfall is intermediate between that found in semiarid and temperate forest biomes.
Located in central North America, central Eurasia, and on the southeast coast of South America where it is called pampa . In South Africa, it is called veld . Steppes consist of clumps of grasses widely spaced such that open spaces and bare ground occur, and occur primarily in the dry midlatitude climate type, with spring rains nourishing grass growth. Short-grass prairie forms next to the drier margins of semidesert ecosystems. The most significant impact on grasslands has been the over-exploitation by intensive grazing .