What term best describes the detailed mapping of the surface features of the land including hills and streams?

The term that best describes the detailed mapping of the surface features of the land, including hills and streams, is topography. Topography refers specifically to the arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area. It encompasses the lay of the land, capturing the elevation variations and the layout of various landforms such as mountains, valleys, and bodies of water.

Understanding topography is essential in fields such as forestry, as it influences water drainage, soil types, ecosystems, and land management practices. Proper topographical mapping allows forestry workers to assess how these features can impact forest health, wildlife habitats, and logging practices.

While geography is the broader study of the Earth’s landscapes, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments, it does not concentrate solely on the detailed features of the land. Cartography, on the other hand, is the art and science of map-making, which may involve topographical elements but isn’t specifically about mapping the surface features. Elevation refers to the height of a point relative to sea level and is just one aspect of topography, not the entire concept itself.