Mountain steppes and xerothermal florocenotypes of the Trans-Asian mountain belt: diversity and phytogeographic peculiarities

Mountain steppes, as well as distinctive xerothermic types of vegetation in the mountains, occupy the most important place in Eurasia. They represent an amazingly diverse and contrast transcontinental orobiome, stretching from the Pamir tragacanth communities in the southwest of the mountain belt to the Chukotka-Anadyr “tundra-steppes” on the outskirts of Northeast Asia, wedged deep into the Subarctic. Many outstanding Soviet and Russian botanists have made a great contribution to the knowledge of many phenomena of the plant world of mountain steppes and xerothermic florocenotypes in this vast territory. The article provides a brief analysis of typological diversity, an overview and reflections on the xerothermic types of vegetation of the Asian mountain belt on a wide geographical range (37−67° N, 72–163° E), which differ significantly in different climatic sectors.