Talbotville (Te)

	Area: 2954 sq. km (14.5%) Talbotville land system occurs on the extensive Ordovician, Devonian and Silurian sediments in the East Victorian Uplands. The mountainous ridge-and-ravine terrain has long, steep slopes on which soil creep and other slope processes are active. Rock outcrop is abundant. Major valleys such as those of the Mitchell, Nicholson, Wongungarra and Wonnangatta Rivers have levees and alluvial terraces similar to, but smaller than, those mapped in Walnut land system. The land is similar in geology and topography to the Birregun land system but the climate is much drier and elevations tend to be slightly lower. Steep slopes, slow-weathering sedimentary rocks and rainfall, inadequate to support vigorous and dense vegetation, give rise to active, natural erosion and slow soil formation. Thus the soils tend to be shallow, stony, leached, acidic and weakly structured. They would be prone to severe sheet erosion if denuded of vegetation.	In ridge-and-ravine topography, most drainage channels have little alluvium due to the rate of removal being greater than the rate of deposition. Some of the major river, however, have alluvial terraces as, for example, can be seen along the Wonnangatta River where it traverses Talbotville land system.
Several vegetation types are found due to the wide geographic and elevation range. Woodland I and II dominate on the drier slopes while open forest I and II are found in more humid areas, notably on protected slopes at higher elevations.

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (°C) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 800 - 1400; lowest January or February (40 - 80), highest October (100 - 150) Annual 8 - 12; lowest July (3 - 7), highest February (16 - 20) Temperature <10°C (av.): April - October Rainfall < potential evapotranspiration: December - February; occasional winter snow
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian mudstones, siltstones, sandstones and shales, occasionally metamorphosed
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Steep mountains with ridge-and-ravine topography 80 - 1300 120 - 720 Dendritic 2.0
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly uncleared: hardwood forestry (second quality timber in sheltered areas); bush grazing of cattle (very limited); small area in Baw Baw National Park

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Talbotville- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Talbotville- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 85 Slopes with drier woodland and forest	2 10 Slopes with more humid forest, usually on protected upper slopes	3 5 Discontinuous narrow terraces and, rarely, old terrace remnants along major drainage corridors
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slope %, typical and (range) Slope shape	35 - 45, (25 - 100) Straight	35 - 45, (25 - 100) Straight	<5, (0 - 10) Straight but uneven
SOIL
Parent material	Mudstone, siltstone, sandstone and shale		Mainly locally derived alluvium
Description	Dark clay loam to loamy sand grading into yellowish or reddish brown similar or heavier-textured subsoil; shallow to very shallow, stony and acidic	As in component 1, but topsoil tends to be darker coloured and somewhat deeper	Mainly little differentiated sandy loam to sandy clay loam; gradational or duplex soils on old terrace remnants
Classification	Lithosols, some Red and Brown Earths Um 1.42, Urn 1.43. Um6.13, Um4.31, Gn2.11, Gn2.61, Uc5.11, Uc5.21	Lithosols, minor Brown Earths and Red Podzolic Soils Um6.12, Um4.22, Gn4.14	Alluvial Soils, Yellow Earths; Yellow Podzolic Soils on old terrace remnants Uc4.22, Uc4.31, Gn4.81, Dy3. -
Surface texture	Clay loam to loam, less commonly lighter textures		Loamy sand to sandy clay loam
Surface consistence	Slightly hard when dry friable when moist		Varies with texture
Depth (m)	<0.8, but commonly<0.5		>2.0
Nutrient status	Low		Low
Available soil water capacity	Low to moderate		Low to moderate
Perviousness to water	Moderate		Moderate
Drainage	Good		Varies with position in landscape
Exposed stone (%)	5 -60		0; high on ancient gravel deposits
Sampled profile number	11	-	-
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Because of wide geographic and altitudinal range, varies from woodland I to open forest II, often shrubby or grassy: E. bridgesiana, E. dives, E. goniocalyx, E. melliodora, or E. sieberi usually predominant; E. rubida, E. macrorhyncha, E. pauciflora (at higher elevations) Rarely closed forest in minor drainage corridors: Acmena smithii+ with climbers, ferns and epiphytes		Open forest II, III, often shrubby: E. viminalis, E. radiata or E. goniocalyx usually predominant; E. macrorhyncha and, on old terrace remnants, E. cephalocarpa associated

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality — reduction in density of tree roots	Reduced transpiration, resulting in: a) increased deep percolation b) increased regolith wetness Decreased root-binding	Nutrient loss Landslip and soil creep Landslip and soil creep	Not determined 1; moderate 2; high 1; moderate 2; high	determined Common on steep slopes Common on steep slopes	Removal of trees Accelerated by major disturbance to native vegetation Accelerated by major disturbance to native vegetation	Increased movement of water to groundwater; increased base-flow of streams Increased sediment load Increased sediment load
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion	1,2; high	Uncommon ; local incidence only	Clearing, logging, burning, overgrazing, road building and other earth-moving activities, trafficking by stock	Increased flash flows and sediment load.
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With Reduced infiltration	Structure decline Sheet and rill erosion	1,2,3; low – moderate 1,2; high	Uncommon Uncommon: local incidence only	Increased trafficking export of organic matter As for sheet and rill erosion above	- Increased flash flows
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully erosion Scour erosion Streambank erosion	1,2; high 3; high 3; high	Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon	As for sheet and rill erosion above As for sheet and rill erosion above As for sheet and rill erosion above	Increased sediment load Increased sediment load Increased sediment load
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