Table 3. Characteristics of the intensive study areas, the general physiographic regimes they are considered to represent, and the approximate percentage of global, seasonally snow-covered areas having these characteristics.
 

MSA	Characteristics	Physiographic Regime	% Global Coverage
North Park	Low-relief grassland , with shrubs in wetter areas and few trees. Shallow, windswept snow covers and extensive frozen soils.	Prairie Tundra	53
Rabbit Ears	Moderate-relief area with mixed coniferous/deciduous forests and large forest gaps. Moderate to deep snow covers.	Woodlands, Low Mountains/Foothills, Boreal Forest	10
Fraser	High-relief area with predominantly coniferous, subalpine forests at middle to upper elevations and alpine tundra at highest elevations. Lower elevations (broad valley bottom) are unforested, irrigated grazing land Moderate to deep snow covers, increasing with elevation.	Boreal Forest, Intermountain Regions, High Mountains, Alpine	25