Soil/Landform Unit 22

Grassy forests are the main remnant vegeation class of this unit

Area:

1314 ha

0.10% of CMA region

This plains unit is underlain by

gravel within the dissected Western Uplands. This unit (comprising a few relatively small occurrences) is part of an undulating plain and rise catena formed on older (

Palaeozoic

) sediments (Unit

) with a younger sedimentary (Neogene) capping in places. The soils are acid and neutral

mottled

brown and yellow texture contrast soils (

and

) which may be

(

), especially where drainage is restricted. Poor aggregate stability and surface soil structure, as well as texture contrast characteristics, make this unit susceptible to sheet, rill and gully erosion, and local waterlogging. Soil structural concerns (decline and

compaction

) are lessened by the low relief. Land use is a mixture of extensive grazing, minor cropping, forestry and native vegetation.

Cleared land is mainly used for grazing and cereal cropping
	Remant vegeation stand south of Clarendon

Component	1	2
Proportion of soil-landform unit	80%	20%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 710
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 7, Maximum 19
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Neogene fluvio-marine sand, Orodivician marine sandstone and shale
Geomorphology	2.1.3 Dissected Western Uplands associated with Cainozoic gravel and sediements
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; hardwood and softwood plantations Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; gravel extraction; mining; cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises
Elevation range (m)	360-447
Local relief (m)	20
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	2.3
Landform	Plains and rises
Landform element	Well drained non-sandy areas	Poorly drained non-sandy areas
Slope and range (%)	2 (1-3)	0 (0-2)
Slope shape	Convex	Flat
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure	Low open forest - woodland	Low open forest-woodland
Dominant species	Callitris columellaris, E. viminalis, E. obliqua, E. radiata, E. rubida, E. ovata, E. pauciflora	E. ovata
SOIL Parent material	Unconsolidated gravel, sand and clay	Unconsolidated gravel, sand and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Red mottled, brown/grey or yellow texture contrast soil, fine structure (13)	Brown/grey or yellow sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (14)
Soil type sites	SW67, CLRA3, OTR601	SW99, OTR734, MM204
Surface texture	Sandy clay loam to loamy sand	Clay loam
Permeability	Moderate	Low
Depth (m)	2	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Hardsetting surfaces are prone to overland flow and sheet and rill erosion. Subsoils are dispersible, while surface soil often experiences leaching of salts.	Hardsetting surfaces are prone to overland flow and sheet and rill erosion. Subsoils are dispersible, while surface soil often experiences leaching of salts and compaction.

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