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GHF14a

Location: Macarthur

Australian Soil Classification: Sodic, Eutrophic, Brown CHROMOSOL
General Landscape Description: Undulating rises
Site Description: South facing
Land Unit: Byaduk basalts
Geology: Quaternary basalt

General Land Unit Description: This land unit is a complex unit of steep slopes leading to drainage lines and gently undulating plains leading to the slopes, south east of Branxholme. The soils on the slopes leading to the drainage lines tend to be shallower than those on the plains. The soils on the plains commonly have a sandy topsoil with a bleached A2 horizon over a clay subsoil. A co-dominant soil type is a soil type lacking the sandy topsoil and tends to have a gradual increase in clay (Dermosol) similar to this site. These soils are intermixed with Sodosols.


Soil pit Was98 1-2 landscape


Soil Profile Morphology

Surface

A10-18 cmVery dark greyish brown (10YR3/2) clay loam (with some fine sand); weak polyhedral structure (10-50 mm) parting to weak granular structure (5-10 mm); very weak consistence when moist; many very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.5%; many medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:


Soil pit Was98 1 profile
A2118-25 cmDark yellowish brown (10YR4/4) clay loam (with some fine sand); weak granular structure (10-20 mm); very weak consistence when moist; many medium ferruginous nodules; common fine roots; abrupt and smooth transition to:


Subsoil


B2125-70 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) with common medium distinct red (2.5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay; moderate polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to moderate granular structure (5-10 mm); weak consistence when moist; very few medium ferruginous nodules; common very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.3%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:


B2270-110 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) with many coarse distinct red (2.5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay; strong subangular blocky structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm); weak consistence when moist; common very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.3%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:


B23110-150 cmLight grey (10YR7/1) with many very coarse prominent red (2.5YR4/6) and yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottles, light medium clay; strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong granular structure (5-10 mm); weak consistence when moist; few medium ferruginous nodules; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.07%; few very fine roots.


150-250 cmSimilar to layer above.


250-380 cmWeathered vesicular basalt and red/grey mottled clays, remnant roots to 280 cm, no impeding layer to root growth.



Soil Profile Characteristics:
-

pH
Salinity
Surface Soil
(A1 horizon)
Strongly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 Horizon)
Slightly Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(110-150 cm)
Moderately Acid
Very Low
Sodic
None




Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl
2)
EC
dS/m
Organic Carbon
%
Total
Nitrogen
%
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)
%
Field Capacity
% w/w
Wilting Point
% w/w
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-18
5.1
4.5
0.06
3.6
0.21
5.1
4.5
2.6
1.3
0.19
0.11
32
29
13
19
20.4
17.9
A2
18-25
5.6
4.9
0.06
5.6
4.9
2.7
2.1
0.13
0.17
35
23
11
30
21.8
12.4
B21
25-70
6.2
6.0
0.13
6.2
6
3.6
5.8
0.11
0.95
6
7
9
80
44.6
30.8
B22
70-110
5.9
5.9
0.16
5.9
5.9
3.2
6.3
0.08
1.2
5
9
10
80
45.4
31.5
B23
110-150
5.9
5.8
0.18
5.9
5.8
3
7.6
0.09
1.7

Profile Described By: Ian Sergeant, Paul Feikema and Martin Clark (October 2000)
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