Soil/Landform Unit 44

The moderately inclined low cone near Mount Mercer has a level top with steep slopes exposing basalt and scoria

Area:

64 ha

<0.01% of CMA region

The moderately inclined low cone south of Mount Mercer forms part of a sequence of volcanic landforms within the Midlands of the Western Uplands. This cone comprises a cone crest and upper, mid or lower slopes. This cone has had all native vegetation removed and replaced with perennial and annual pastures. The upper/ mid slopes and crests support shallow red

friable

texture contrast and/or gradational soils, while the lower slopes host black

self-mulching

clays. The land use is mainly grazing with minor cropping on the lower slopes. Erosion hazards are minimal. Areas with shallow stony gradational soils are susceptible to leaching of nutrients, and

compaction

is a problem on the lower slopes with the self-mulching soils.

The lower slopes and neighbouring unit are mainly used for cropping

Component	1	2	3
Proportion of soil-landform unit	25%	30%	45%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 670
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 7; Maximum 18
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	October-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary basalt, Devonian granite and Recent clay, sand and gravel
Geomorphology	2.1.4 Dissected Western Uplands associated with volcanic landforms
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; passive and active recreation; water supply; hardwood forestry Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; cropping; residential development; horticulture
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Moderatelyinclined low cones
Elevation range (m)	313-363
Local relief (m)	40
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.3
Landform	Volcanic cone
Landform element	Broad creast and gentle upper slopes	Steep mid and upper slopes	Lower slopes
Slope and range (%)	3 (1-7)	6 (3-15)	3 (1-8)
Slope shape	Convex	Concave-Convex	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Absent
SOIL Parent material	Basalt and scoria	Basalt and scoria	Basalt and scoria
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Friable red texture contrast soils (38); minor fraible red gradational soils (40)	Friable red texture contrast soils (38); minor friable red gradational soils (40)	Shallow black self-mulching soils (39)
Soil type sites	MM5075, BD5, SW96	MM5075, BD5, SW96	SW102, SW101, SW103
Surface texture	Loams	Loams	Clays
Permeability	High	High	High
Depth (m)	<0.7	<1	<1
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Texture contrast soils with low water holding capacity, moderate nutrient holding capacity in upper soil, high in subsoil. Gradational soils tend to have low to moderate water holding capacity, moderate to high nutrient holding capacity. Shallow to moderately deep, friable and some stone. Moderately rapid site drainage with slight susceptibility to sheet erosion.	Texture contrast, low water holding capacity, moderate nutrient holding capacity in upper soil, high in subsoil. Gradational soils tend to have low to moderate water holding capacity, moderate to high nutrient holding capacity. Shallow to moderately deep, friable and often stony soils. Rapid site drainage with slight susceptibility to sheet erosion.	Uniform expansive clays with high water holding capacity, very high nutrient holding capacity. Shallow to moderate deep, friable and self-mulching soils that are often stony. Moderate site drainage with slight susceptibility to sheet erosion.

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