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Why has much of the western Eurasian Steppe been converted to grain farming?

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Map showing the extent of the Eurasian steppes, highlighted in green, stretching from eastern Europe through Ukraine and southern Russia, across Kazakhstan, and into Mongolia and northern China. The map labels the Western Steppe and Eastern Steppe regions and includes major geographic features, countries, and ancient sites within the steppe zone. — the Steppe Extent of the Eurasian steppes.

The western Eurasian Steppe has been extensively converted to grain farming primarily due to the presence of chernozem, or "black earth," which is the region's distinctive soil.1

This soil is characterized by a very dark, humus-rich upper layer that can exceed three feet in thickness. Several environmental factors contribute to its exceptional fertility:1
* Humus Accumulation: Winter frost and summer drought inhibit the decomposition of organic matter, while high evaporation rates prevent the leaching of nutrients, allowing humus to build up over time.1
* Soil Chemistry: The soil features low acidity and a high concentration of nutrients, which have made the steppe a primary source of grain production.1

While the region was historically defined by its vast grasslands and nomadic pastoralism, the high natural fertility of these chernozem soils led to the replacement of much of the original steppe vegetation with intensive grain cultivation. Today, agricultural landscapes predominate in these areas, particularly across the broad band stretching through southern Siberia and northern Kazakhstan.123