GRES489

Location: Bindi

Australian Soil Classification: Haplic, Lithocalcic, Brown DERMOSOL

Map Unit: Bindi (Component 3)
Previous Site Name: AL33

General Landscape Description: Undulating low hills
Site description: Mid-slope of alluvial fan, 10% slope (sample site within an old disused sheepyard)
Land Use: Grazing on annual pasture
Native Vegetation: Open forest
Geology: Devonian limestone

Surface soil
A1	0 – 10 cm	Very dark brown (10YR3/3); clay loam; moderate fine (5 - 10 mm) sub-angular blocky structure; very hard dry; clear change to:
A2	10 – 15 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/3); light clay; moderate medium (10 – 20 mm) angular blocky structure; very hard consistence dry; clear change to:
Subsoil
B21	15 – 90 cm	Dark reddish brown (5YR3/4); medium clay; strong medium (10 – 20 mm) sub-angular blocky structure; firm consistence moist; diffuse change to:
B22	90 – 180 cm	Yellowish red (5YR4/6); medium clay; 2% calcareous nodules (2 mm)

• Lack of texture contrast between the surface (A) horizon and the subsoil (B) horizon.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	EC dS/m	Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Free Fe2O3 % w/w	Exchangeable Acididty meq/100g	Exchangeable Cations				Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) %	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) %	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) %	Clay (<0.002 mm) %
								Ca	Mg	K	Na
								meq/100g
A11	0-5	6.1	0.15	4.2	0.4	2.7	11.7	11.8	1.3	2.1	0.05	1	24	33	34
A11	5-10	6.0	<0.05
A2	10-15	6.3	<0.05	1.8	0.19	3.0	8.8	9.8	0.7	1.0	0.05	2	28	27	40
B21	20-30	6.8	<0.05	0.69	0.10	3.6	5.6	10.7	0.7	0.7	0.05	2	28	24	44
B22	90-120	7.4	<0.05			4.4	11.2	13.9	1.0	1.0	0.2	3	21	14	59
B22	1.5-1.8	7.6	<0.05			4.0	7.8	16.9	2.8	1.0	0.3	3	17	16	59

• Plant available water here is considered to be moderate. Roots were found to 60 cm with some at 90 cm.

• The surface soil here is moderately acid. For pastures, it is unnecessary to add lime.
• Potassium levels are high so plant responses to potassium fertiliser are most unlikely. However it should be noted the sampling site was within an old sheepyard.
• The nutrient holding capacity of the surface (A1 and B21) horizons is moderate (based on the sum of the exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium cations).

• The subsoil would be relatively well drained as there is no sharp increase in clay content at the A/B boundary. The subsoil horizons are non-sodic and not coarsely structured, which will enable plant roots to penetrate easily.