Steppe and grassland ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse yet increasingly threatened terrestrial biomes, supporting unique biodiversity and providing essential ecosystem services. However, these ecosystems are experiencing rapid biodiversity loss due to agricultural expansion, overgrazing, habitat fragmentation, land-use change, invasive species, and climate change. Understanding recent advances in conservation research is therefore essential for developing effective management strategies and evidence-based environmental policies. This study presents a systematic bibliometric review of empirical research on biodiversity loss and conservation strategies in steppe ecosystems published between 2020 and 2025. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 65 peer-reviewed articles were identified from the Scopus database through a structured Boolean search and a multi-stage screening process. The selected studies represent research conducted in 25 countries, with the highest publication output from the United States (n = 11), Germany (n = 6), and China (n = 6). Field surveys and field-based ecological studies were the dominant research methods (n = 39), followed by remote sensing and GIS approaches (n = 13), long-term ecological monitoring (n = 4), and species distribution modelling (n = 3). The review identified five major research themes: grazing impacts on plant diversity, habitat fragmentation, protected area effectiveness, ecological restoration, and climate-driven shifts in species distributions. The findings reveal considerable geographical gaps in conservation research, particularly in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, despite the extensive distribution and ecological significance of their steppe ecosystems. This review synthesises current empirical evidence, identifies methodological trends and research gaps, and provides recommendations for future interdisciplinary studies and policy development to strengthen biodiversity conservation and promote the long-term sustainable management of steppe ecosystems.