Taken from the first paragraph of the introduction: The Rocky Mountains, the great backbone of North America, extend 5,000 kilometers from New Mexico to Canada. The elevations range from about 1,500 meters along the plains to 4,399 meters, and the widths range from 120 to 650 kilometers (Lavender 1975). The Rocky Mountains are composed of many mountain ranges with unique ecological features. For example, 20 ranges make up the Rocky Mountains in and adjacent to Wyoming (Knight 1994). The natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and fresh water have attracted human inhabitants for the last 10,000–12,000 years (Fig. 1). Published in Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources, on pages 473 - 504, in 1998.
Summary
Taken from the first paragraph of the introduction:
The Rocky Mountains, the great backbone of North America, extend 5,000 kilometers from New Mexico to Canada. The elevations range from about 1,500 meters along the plains to 4,399 meters, and the widths range from 120 to 650 kilometers (Lavender 1975). The Rocky Mountains are composed of many mountain ranges with unique ecological features. For example, 20 ranges make up the Rocky Mountains in and adjacent to Wyoming (Knight 1994). The natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and fresh water have attracted human inhabitants for the last 10,000–12,000 years (Fig. 1).
Published in Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources, on pages 473 - 504, in 1998.
