Local Officials are concerned that agricultural fields at site B are increasing sedimentation in the river because of soil eroding from the fields. They hire an environmental consulting company to perform a study to determine if this is true. The company marks out two one-hectare plots at point B and point C in the diagram. The characteristics of the land in both plots are identical except that plot B is covered by agricultural fields and plot C is covered by undisturbed forest. Rain gauges are set up at the up-slope edge of the plots, and devices that collect eroded soil are set up along the down-slope edge of the plots. The environmental consultants hypothesize that more soil will be eroded from plat B and from plot C. Data are collected at the rain gauges and soil-collection devices at the end of each month for year.

The results of the study could be altered of there were changes to the land surface in the area of plot B and plot C. Identify and describe one characteristic of the land surface in the plots that could be altered to decrease the amount of erosion in both plots.