The Western Siberian forest-steppe province stretches from the Urals to the Kuznetsk Alatau in the north of Kazakhstan. Here the small-leaved Betula and Populus-Betula forests dominate, interspersed with meadow steppes and rich forb – feather grass steppes. Other vegetation types, such as steppe meadows, sedge marshes and willow brushwoods are common in depressions.

The Northern Kazakhstanian forest-steppe subprovince includes a small section of the southern forest-steppe, but mostly the forest-steppe with “kolki” in the plains and lowhills. In the typical forest-steppe the forests are confined to the watershed, and forest-steppe with “kolki” to depressions. Steppes in the southern forest-steppe are represented mainly by meadow steppes, but in the forest-steppe with “kolki” by fragments of rich forb – feather grass steppes and even forb – feather grass steppes (north-east Kazakhstan – Baraba lowland).

Western Siberian Plain. Pine forest. Foto Perezhogin Yu.V.