South of this zone lies a zone of mixed woodland-steppe vegetation. Between Raqqa and the Syro–Iraqi border the Euphrates flows through a steppe landscape. This steppe is characterised by white wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba) and Amaranthaceae. Throughout history, this zone has been heavily overgrazed due to the practicing of sheep and goat pastoralism by its inhabitants. Southeast of the border between Syria and Iraq starts true desert. This zone supports either no vegetation at all or small pockets of Chenopodiaceae or Poa sinaica. Although today nothing of it survives due to human interference, research suggests that the Euphrates Valley would have supported a riverine forest. Species characteristic of this type of forest include the Oriental plane, the Euphrates poplar, the tamarisk, the ash and various wetland plants.
South of this zone lies a zone of mixed woodland-steppe vegetation Between Raqqa and the Syro–Iraqi border the Euphrates flows through a steppe landscape This steppe is characterised by white wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba) and Amaranthaceae Throughout history this zone has been heavily overgrazed due to the practicing of sheep and goat pastoralism by its inhabitants Southeast of the border between Syria and Iraq starts true desert This zone supports either no vegetation at all or small pockets of Chenopodiaceae or Poa sinaica Although today nothing of it survives due to human interference research suggests that the Euphrates Valley would have supported a riverine forest Species characteristic of this type of forest include the Oriental plane the Euphrates poplar the tamarisk the ash and various wetland plants