Soil/Landform Unit 9

The vegetated capping in the foreground represents part of the Neogene sediments of this unit

Area: 11 449 ha

0.86% of CMA region

This unit of plains and rises is underlain by Palaeozoic sedimentary rock within the dissected Western Uplands. This unit has a number of occurrences in the uplands, most are fairly large in area. This unit is part of an undulating plain and rise catena formed on older (

Palaeozoic

) sediments which also has some younger sedimentary (Neogene) capping (Units

and

). The soils are acid and neutral

mottled

brown and yellow texture contrast soils (

Kurosols

and

Chromosols

) which may be sodic (

Sodosols

), 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, local waterlogging, and soil structural concerns (decline and compaction). Land use is a mixture of extensive grazing, forestry and native vegetation.

Cleared land is mainly used fro grazing and cereal cropping
	Remnant vegetation stand south of Clarendon

Component	1	2	3	4	5
Proportion of soil-landform unit	7%	80%	3%	9%	1%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 720
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 7, Maximum 18
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	October-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Ordovician marine sandstone and shale, Neogene fluvio-marine sand, Quaternary basalt and alluvium
Geomorphology	2.1.1 Dissected uplands associated with Palaeozoic sedimentary and metamorphic rocks of the Western Uplands
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; hardwood and softwood plantations Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating rises
Elevation range (m)	235-557
Local relief (m)	10-30
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	3.9
Landform	Rolling plains			Major terraces	Minor terraces
Landform element	Crest	Long gentle slope	Drainage line
Slope and range (%)	1 (1-3)	5 (3-9)	1 (1-3)	1 (1-2)	1 (1-2)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Concave	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Heathy Dry Forest (6.1%), Grassy Dry Forest (5.4%), Plains Grassy Woodland (4.5%)
Dominant species	E. obliqua, E. radiata	E. obliqua, E. viminalis	E. ovata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered rock	In situ weathered rock	Alluvial clay, silt, sand and gravel	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Shallow stony red gradational soil (25)	Red mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil (25/26)	Mottled brown, grey, yellow and red gradational soil (34)	Dark brown soil - variable (34/31)	Yellow brown texture contrast soil, coarse structure (33)
Soil type sites	BD10, CLRA53, CLRA54	CLRA58, BD10, BD13	SW39, CLRA15, CLRA1	SW39, CLRA15, CLRA1	SW67, SW38, SW2
Surface texture	Gravelly loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Fine sandy loam	Medium sandy clay loam
Permeability	High	Moderate to low	Low to moderate	Moderate to low	Moderate to low
Depth (m)	0.6	1	2	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 and compaction.	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.	Moderate dispersible soils with poor site drained. Hardsetting surfaces cause overland flow and gully erosion. In these gullies salts accumulate.	Low-lying areas receiving drainage are seasonally waterlogged. Overland flow and stream flow contribute to streambank and gully erosion.	Low permeability soils with hardsetting surfaces. Weak surface stuctures and overland flow lead to movement of salts, streambank and gully erosion. Subsurface flow and waterlogging also contribute to compaction.

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