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Soil/Landform Unit 62

Landform Unit Description

Unit 62 image a
Large parts of this soil-landform unit at Cape Otway have been cleared and provide rough grazing for cattle on native grasses
      Area: 4866 ha
      0.36% of CMA region

      In the vicinity of Cape Otway and extending discontinuously to the west is an elevated plain of coastal dunes. The coastal margins of the plain are generally fronted by 100 m cliffs of calcarenite with possibly small primary dunes at the base of the cliffs. Behind the cliffs, the plain has an irregular dune topography that may extend several kilometres inland. The demarcation to other land systems is very sharp and easily defined. Woodlands of Eucalyptus viminalis with open grassy understoreys used to cover most areas, although shrubs resistant to salt and sand-laden winds formerly colonised the coastal localities. Most areas have been cleared for grazing, but the establishment of improved pastures presents difficulties. Overgrazing has resulted in severe wind erosion in some areas, and reclamation is difficult and expensive.
Unit 62 geomorpholoy

Unit 62 image b
Tussock grassland with a richly diverse heath stratum
Unit 62 cross section

Unit 62 graph

Unit 62 image c
Calcarenite cliffs at Cape Otway

Component
1
2
3
4
5
6
Proportion of soil-landform unit
6%
4%
20%
20%
10%
40%
CLIMATE
Rainfall (mm)

Annual: 900-1100, lowest January (45), highest July (105)
Temperature (oC)
Annual: 14, lowest July (10), highest February (18)
Seasonal growth limitations
Temperature: less than 10oC (av.) July
Precipitation: less than potential evapotranspiration late November-February
GEOLOGY
Age and lithology

Recent sand and shell grit on Neogene calcarenite basement
Geomorphology
LANDUSE
Cleared areas: Beef cattle grazing on unimproved patures; mining of calcarenite; residential; active recreation
Uncleared areas: Forest grazing of beef cattle; active and passive recreation; nature conservation; landscape conservation
TOPOGRAPHY
Landscape

Elevated longitudinal coastal dunes at and to the west of Cape Otway
Elevation range (m)
0-155
Local relief (m)
15
Drainage pattern
Mainly absent; some dendritic areas
Drainage density (km/km2)
0.7
Landform
Foredunes
Cliffs
Longitudinal dunes
Interdune corridors
Inland dunes
Landform element
Windward slopes
Leewrd slopes
-
Slope and range (%)
20 (15-40)
65 (50-100)
25 (5-50)
20 (5-50)
3 (0-9)
25 (3-60)
Slope shape
Convex
Linear
Convex
Convex
Concave
Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION
Structure

Tussock grassland

Open scrub

Open scrub

Woodland

Open forest

Woodland
Dominant species
Spinifex hirsutus, Scirpus nodosus,
Calocephalus brownii
Casuarine stricta,
Cassinia longifolia,
Alyxia buxifolia
Alyxia buxifolia,
Leucopogon parviflorus,

Cassinia longifolia, Acacia verticillata,
Leptospermum juniperinum,
Helichrysum paraluon
Casuarine stricta,
E. viminalis,
Leucopogon parviflorus
E. obliqua, E. viminalis
E. viminalis
SOIL
Parent material

Coarse sand, shell grit

Calcarenite, aeolian sand
Sand with calcarenite basement

Sand with calcarenite basement

Sand with calcarenite basement

Sand with calcarenite basement
Description
(Corangamite Soil Group)
Yellow calcareous sand soils (12)
Yellow calcareous sand soils - discontinuous (12)
Brown calcareous sand soils (12)
Brown calcareous sand soils (12)
Red-yellow calcareous sand soils (12)
Red-yellow calcareous sand soils (12)
Soil type sites
Surface texture
Coarse sand
Coarse sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Permeability
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Depth (m)
>2
0.3
>2
>2
>2
1.9
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS
Dunes inherently unstable due to cyclical marine erosion. Low fertility, low water holding capacity and vegetation sensitive to disturbance lead to wind erosion and leaching of nutrients
Weakly structured sand soils of low water holding capacity on steep slopes with vegetation sensitive to disturbance and salt pruning are pone to sheet erosion by wind and water.
Weakly structured soils with low water holding capacities, subjected to strong on-shore winds are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility, high alkalinity and rapid leaching lead to nutrient decline.
Weakly structured sand soils with low water holding capacities are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility, high alkalinity and rapid leaching lead to nutrient decline.
Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline.
Weakly structured sand soils with low water holding capacities are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline.
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