ELL98 (Plot 2)

Site: ELL98 (Plot 2)

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.

Site Description:

Slope: 0%	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) loamy sand; weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); very weak consistence when moist; common medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A21	20-30 cm	Brown (10YR5/3) loamy sand, single grain structure; weak consistence when moist; many coarse ferruginous nodules; common very fine roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A22	30-45 cm	Pale brown (10YR6/3), loamy sand, single grain structure; weak consistence when moist; many coarse ferruginous nodules; few very fine roots; abrupt and wavy transition to:
Subsoil
B21	45-80 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) with common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay, strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm), weak consistence when moderately moist; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.1%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B22	80-120 cm	Light grey (10YR7/1) with many medium distinct red (2.5YR5/8) and yellowish red (5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay; strong lenticular structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm), very few medium ferruginous nodules; weak consistence when moderately moist, few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.05%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B23	120-160 cm	Light grey (10YR7/1) with many coarse prominent red (2.5YR4/8) mottles, medium clay, strong lenticular structure (50-100 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (5-10 mm), weak consistence when moist; few fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; very few fine roots.
	160-400 cm	Mottled red and grey clays, well structured, weathering basalt, no impeding layer

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

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