Himalayas (IMAGE) Princeton University Caption For all the range shapes except pyramid, land availability can be greater at higher elevations than it is farther down the mountainside. Those ranges, such as the Himalayas (above), are formed by a series of slopes that rise to open plateaus situated at the base of yet more slopes. These mountains are akin to scaling a giant table where a leg represents a steep, limited-area climb that leads to a high-altitude expanse. Credit (Photo by Paul Elsen, Princeton University Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.