Patagonian steppe

The Patagonian steppe is a semiarid grassland and shrubland region of southern Argentina and Chile, shaped by low rainfall, strong winds, and cold conditions.

Andes rain shadow: A dry zone formed on the leeward side of mountains when rising air loses moisture on the windward side. The Andes block much of the moisture carried from the Pacific, helping keep Patagonia dry.
Patagonian sheep farming: The raising of sheep for wool and meat across the arid grasslands of Patagonia. Extensive grazing has shaped vegetation and livelihoods across large areas of the steppe.
Patagonia: A sparsely populated region at the southern end of South America, spanning Argentina and Chile. The steppe occupies much of Patagonia’s eastern interior.
Pale tussock grass: A native bunchgrass of Patagonian grasslands that grows in dense, rounded tussocks. Its tussocks are a defining plant form in many exposed steppe communities.
Westerlies: The prevailing midlatitude winds that blow from west to east in both hemispheres. These winds bring Pacific air toward the Andes, where much of its moisture falls before reaching the steppe.
Overgrazing: Grazing pressure that exceeds an ecosystem’s capacity to replace eaten vegetation. Heavy sheep grazing can reduce plant cover and expose fragile soils to erosion.
Magellanic subpolar forests: Temperate evergreen forests of southern Chile and neighboring parts of Argentina. They occupy wetter western areas beyond the steppe’s dry interior.
Patagonian mara: A large herbivorous rodent native to Argentina’s open, arid landscapes. This steppe-adapted species uses open ground for feeding and detecting predators.
Patagonian Desert: The arid eastern Patagonian region, including much of the Patagonian steppe. Its especially dry landscapes show the steppe’s transition toward desert conditions.
Desertification: The degradation of dryland ecosystems through climatic variation and human activities. Soil erosion and declining vegetation make parts of Patagonia vulnerable to desertification.

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