The Tian Shan foothill arid steppeecoregion (WWF ID: PA0818) covers the northern and western approaches to the Tian Shan mountains, centered on Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan. This region receives more moisture from Central Asia, thereby supporting more vegetation and diversity of plant and animal species than the deserts to the south.[1][2]
The ecoregion stretches around the lower altitudes of the Tian Shan mountain ridge, running for approximately 1,000 km from western Kyrgyzstan to a small section inside the western reaches of Xinjiang Province in China.[1] The foothills of the northwestern Tian Shan are a series of ridges and lake basins in this region. Elevations for this ecoregion are 150 - 660 meters.
Climate
Several different climate classifications are represented in the ecoregion, both semi-arid and humid. The most widespread in the northeast is cold semi-arid (Köppen climate classification(BSk)). This climate is generally characterized as having precipitation greater than a true desert, and also a colder temperature.[3][4] The western areas of the ecoregion, and the closer areas to the main ridge, are warmer, particularly in the summer, with high temperatures above 32 degrees C in July.[1]