ELL98 (Plot 1)

Site: ELL98 (Plot 1)

Land Unit: Marl

General Land Unit Description:

This land unit is a complex consisting of mainly gently undulating to level plains with numerous small depressions. In the more undulating portion of the unit, the very slight rises with broad level crests have soils consisting of Dermosols (GL98) or Chromosols (GL70). The soils are variable, some soils have soft carbonate nodules at depth, some have ferruginous nodules and some exhibit vertic (cracking) characteristics. There are also minor occurrences of sand hills and dunes consisting of deep, uniform sands (Tenosols, Podosols). The numerous small depressions are commonly alkaline grey or black cracking clays (Vertosols). A minor soil type in some depressions are acidic black cracking clays (Vertosols) and some shallow soils. The soils in the western portion of the land unit tend to have poorer internal drainage than soils of the eastern zone. The major restriction for land use is the poor internal drainage and the variable soils within a short distance.

Two year old

Eucalyptus globulus

plantation on ex-agricultural land

Site Description:

Slope: 1^o	Geology: Tertiary marl
Landform pattern: Gently undulating plain	Internal drainage: Imperfectly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-20 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2) fine sandy loam; weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); very weak consistence when moist; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; many medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A21	20-30 cm	Brown (10YR5/3) fine sandy loam; weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); weak consistence when moist; common fine macropores; areal porosity 1.5%; common fine roots; abrupt and smooth transition to:
A22	30-45 cm	Brown (10YR5/3) fine sandy loam; weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); weak consistence when moist; common very fine roots; abrupt and wavy transition to:
Subsoil
B21	45-70 cm	Brown (10YR5/3) with common medium distinct reddish yellow (5YR7/8) and red (2.5YR4/8) mottles, light medium clay; strong subangular blocky structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm); weak consistence when moderately moist; many coarse ferruginous nodules; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.001%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B22	70-110 cm	Brown (10YR5/3) with many medium distinct reddish yellow (5YR7/8) and red (2.5YR4/8) mottles, medium clay; strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm); firm consistence when moderately moist; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B23	110-150	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) with many medium prominent red (2.5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay; strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm); firm consistence when moderately moist; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed.
	150-400	Mottled red and grey clays, decomposing basalt (not basalt segregations), a little compacted, no root impeding layer

Notes: wormcasts and root channels observed to 150 cm, Mn staining observed on ped faces and increased with depth from 45 cm, slickensides present between 110-150 cm.

Sampled by: Ian Sargeant and Paul Feikema (24 October 2000)

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