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CRC8

Location: Warrayure

Australian Soil Classification: Ferric (& Magnesic) Subnatric, Brown SODOSOL (very thick sandy surface horizons)
Geology: Possible strand line (Dorodong sands).


Image:  CRC8 Landscape
Site CRC8 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A10-20 cmDark brown (10YR3/3); loamy sand; soft surface condition; very weak consistence (dry); pH 5.6:

Image:  CRC8 Profile
Site CRC8 profile
A2120-40 cmBrown (10YR4/3); sand; very weak consistence (dry); pH 5.6:

A22c40-70 cmDark yellowish brown (10YR4/4); sand; many (40%) ferruginous nodules (rounded pisoliths) (4-12 mm); pH 6.4:

A23c70-90 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/4); conspicuously bleached; sand; very many (50%) round and sub-angular ferruginous nodules or pisoliths (4-20 mm in size); abrupt change to; pH 6.7:

Subsoil

B190-105 cmDark yellowish brown (10YR4/4) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) and red (2.5YR5/8) mottles; heavy sandy clay loam; weakly structured; very firm consistence (moist); few (5%) ferruginous nodules; pH 7.2:

B21105-120+ cmDark yellowish brown (10YR4/4) with reddish yellow (7.5YR6/8) and dark red (2.5YR4/8) mottles; light medium clay; strong-moderate coarse to medium polyhedral structure (in patches); firm to very firm consistence (moist); pH 5.1.

Key Profile Features:
  • Strong texture contrast between sandy surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B21) horizon.
  • Very thick sandy surface horizons.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Moderately Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B1 horizon)
Slightly Alkaline
Very Low
Sodic
None
Deeper subsoil
(at 105-120 cm)
Slightly Alkaline
Low
Sodic
Moderate

Image:  CRC8 Graphs

Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl
2)
EC
dS/m
Exchangeable Aluminium
ppm
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
A1
0-20
5.6
4.8
0.06
<10
4.5
1.7
082
0.13
0.13
68
20
8
1
A21
20-40
5.6
4.7
<0.05
<10
1.9
0.45
0.39
<0.05
0.12
A22c
40-70
6.4
5.5
<0.05
<10
1.9
0.40
0.58
<0.05
0.16
A23c
70-90
6.7
6.1
<0.05
1.8
0.34
0.54
<0.05
0.19
70
24
3
2
B1
90-105
7.2
5.9
0.09
4.0
0.55
4.2
0.05
1.0
53
16
3
30
B21
105-120
7.3
6.2
0.14
5.1
0.40
6.2
0.09
1.7


Management Considerations:

Surface (A) Horizons
  • The surface horizons are deep and sandy. Infiltration of water will be relatively rapid as a result and the surface soil will be well drained.

  • The low wilting point in the surface horizons indicates that plants will be able to utilise very light rains when the soil is dry. However, due to the low water storage capacity, plants will soon suffer moisture stress unless further rain or watering occurs.
Subsoil (B) Horizons
  • The subsoil has very high levels of exchangeable magnesium relative to exchangeable calcium. This may result in nutrient imbalances e.g. calcium deficiency.

  • The coarsely structured subsoil is sodic and disperses. This will result in restricted root and water movement in the subsoil. Water will tend to build up on the top of the subsoil in wet periods.
Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Austin Brown, Darren Bennetts and Malcolm McCaskill - March 2003.
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