MM5155

Site code	MM5155
Location	Steiglitz (Butchers Road), Anakie district, south-west Victoria
Landform	Undulating rises
Geology	Neogene Werribee Formation: fluvial sand, sandy and silty clay, carbonaceous, pyritic in part
Element	Mid slope

Profile morphology

Horizon	Depth (cm)	Description
A1	0–15	Very dark grey (10YR3/1); loamy sand; clear boundary to:
A2	15–50	Pale brown (10YR6/3), sporadically bleached, very pale brown (10YR7/3 dry); sand; sharp boundary to:
A3	50–70	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6); sandy loam; many fine segregations; boundary to:
B2	70+	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8) with red (2.5YR4/6) mottles; medium clayey sand; strong platy structure; firm consistence (moderately moist).

ASC: Ferric, Mottled-Subnatric, Brown Sodosol (deep sandy topsoil)

Analytical data Source: Government of Victoria, State Chemistry Laboratory.

Site MM5155	Sample depth	pH		EC	NaCl	Ex Ca	Ex Mg	Ex K	Ex Na	Ex Al	Ex acidity
Horizon	cm	H₂O	CaCl₂	dS/m	%	cmol_c/kg	cmol_c/kg	cmol_c/kg	cmol_c/kg	mg/kg	cmol_c/kg
A1	0–15	5.6	N/R	0.02	N/R	0.9	0.9	0.1	0.1	N/R	7.3
A2	15–50	5.6	N/R	N/R	N/R	0.1	0.1	0	0.1	N/R	2.7
A3	50–70	6.2	N/R	N/R	N/R	0	0	0	0.3	N/R	4.2
B2	70+	6	N/R	0.05	N/R	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.6	N/R	8.6

Site MM5155	Sample depth	FC (-10kPa)	PWP (-1500kPa)	KS	FS	Z	C	Org C	Bulk density
Horizon	cm	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	t m^-3
A1	0–15	9.7	5.3	46	42	6	2	2.2	1.23
A2	15–50	N/R	N/R	44	43	9	3	0.5	N/R
A3	50–70	27.8	19.8	35	38	12	14	N/R	N/R
B2	70+	N/R	N/R	25	24	14	39	N/R	1.44

Management considerations
Deep sandy topsoil overlies a strong texture contrast between the surface soil and the subsoil. The A horizon exhibits a sporadically bleached soil leading to many fine segregations which are key features of this profile. The subsoil has prominent mottling which is another prominent feature of this soil type.

Increasing organic matter and maintaining vegetative cover is important to help stabilise the sandy topsoil and improve the soil structure. Penetration by deep-rooted crops is also a recommended management practice.

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