The researchers studied the ability of certain grass species to recover in steppe and desert-steppe areas. They looked at how well Stipa krylovii and Cleistogenes songorica from the steppe zone, and Stipa gobica from the desert-steppe zone, could regenerate. The results showed that Stipa krylovii and Cleistogenes songorica had similar numbers of bushes regardless of plant degradation, while Stipa gobica had three times more bushes in slightly degraded areas. Stipa krylovii had young, healthy bushes in slightly degraded pastures, but old, dying bushes in moderately degraded areas.