Semi-desert,+Arid+Grassland

=Semi-desert location= One of the most notable semi-desert regions is the Kazakh semi-desert. It stretches east from the Ural mountains all the way to the east border of the Kazakh melkosopochnik. = = =General conditions= The climate of this area is dry with only 160 to 240 mm of average annual precipitation. The average daily temperature is about 10 degrees C but there is a huge difference in temperature from winter to summer. In January, the average temperature is -13 to -16 degrees C while in July, the average temperature is 21 to 24 degrees C. The relief and soil conditions are also highly variable. There are chalky and tertiary plateaus as well as melkosopochnik areas which are very eroded plateaus. There are also many alluvial plains. The soil can vary from light brown soil to desert brown soils and many different plant areas are formed because of differences in soil salinity. For vegetation, different species of bunch grasses are dominate on the desert steppe with varying species of sagebrush as well. On the alluvial saline plains, different halophytic plant communities can be found including perennial saltwort. In this region, as dryness increases, plant diversity decreases.

Native Species

 * Przewalski's horse is native to this region but has not been spotted since 1968 and is a subspecies of wild horses.
 * Desert finches are native to this and many other surrounding regions and only require a water supply and are in no threat of becoming endangered



Invasive Species

 * There is not much information available on any specific type of invasive species in this area but the problem has been recognized in documents about animal diversity in the Kazakhstan region.
 * Although minimal information is provided for invasive species in the Kazakhstan region, in the Colorado Plateau, another semi-desert location, the saltcedar is an invasive species. Saltcedars have spread radiply, and decreased the reproduction of the native riparian cottonwood, which supports the breeding of several bird species.

Keystone Species

 * The Saiga Antelope is a keystone species in the steppe region it inhabits because of its grazing which maintains vegetation compositions and habitats for many different species of birds. It is also a main food source for large predatory birds like eagles and vultures. It has seen a 95% population reduction in the last 20 years, mostly due to unregulated or illegal over hunting for their meat and prized horns. Even though the Saiga Antelope is considered endangered and is protected, poaching still threatens it the most.

Indicator Species

 * In the Chihauhaun semi arid grasslands, the banner-tailed kangeroo rat is considered an indicator species because it is dependent on semi-arid grassland for foraging and predator avoidance. So when more grasslands start to turn more shrub-like, the banner-tailed kangeroo rat is negatively affected.

Predator-Prey Relationship

 * Predators in this region include wolves and snow leapards. They feed on prey such as saiga antelope, goats, and wild sheep.

Parasitism

 * Again, no examples of parasitism are given for the Kazakh Desert. However, in the Colorado Plateau, evidence of old parasites, including nematodes, cestodes, and acanthcephalans, were found. These parasites used humans as hosts, and were discovered in feces.

Current Event

 * http://www.arkandtent.com/on_the_brink_21.html
 * This current event discusses the Przewalski's horse, and it's disappearance, and efforts to keep the species alive. This species is very endangered, and efforts are being made to breed the horses in captivity, because they have not been spotted in the wild since 1968.

Websites used
[|National Geographic] [|World Wild Life] [|Wikipedia] [|10000 Birds.com] [|Wild Invest] [|Exotic and Invasive Species] [|Biodiversity Assessment] [|Prehistoric Parasitism]