In physical geography, a steppe (Russian: степь, step' ; [sʲtʲepʲ]. ) is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes.n Asia, a subtropical steppe can be found in semi-arid lands that fringe the Thar Desert of the Indian subcontinent. In Australia, subtropical steppe can be found in a belt surrounding the most severe deserts of the continent and around the Musgrave Ranges.