Search and Rescue (SAR) Certification Practice Test

The brown lines on a woodland topography map represent contour lines, which indicate the elevation and the shape of the land. These lines connect points of equal elevation above a specific reference point, typically sea level. By examining the spacing and configuration of these lines, one can interpret the slope and steepness of the terrain.

When contour lines are close together, this indicates a steep slope, while lines that are spaced farther apart signal a gentler slope. Additionally, the contours can help in visualizing landforms such as hills, valleys, and ridges. This critical feature of topography maps is essential for navigation, planning, and understanding environmental features in the field.

Understanding contour intervals also provides significant insights into the vertical scale of the map, allowing for the estimation of heights and landform characteristics in relation to one another.