ELL98 (Plot 3)

Site: ELL98 (Plot 3)

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: 1⁰	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) parting to single grain structure; very weak consistence when moist; common medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A21	20-35 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/4) loamy sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when moist; many coarse ferruginous nodules; few very fine roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A22	35-55 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/5), loamy sand, single grain structure; loose consistence when moist; common coarse ferruginous nodules; no roots observed; abrupt and wavy transition to:
Subsoil
B21	55-100 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) with common medium distinct red (2.5YR5/8) mottles, medium clay; strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong granular structure (5-10 mm); weak consistence when moderately moist; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed; gradual and smooth transition to:
B22	100-150 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) with common coarse distinct red (2.5YR4/8) and reddish yellow (5YR6/8) mottles, medium clay, strong lenticular structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong granular structure (10-20 mm); weak consistence when moderately moist; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed.
	150-400 cm	Medium clays passing to light clays (no sand), same mottling as above,no impeding layer to roots.

Notes: Sampled by: Ian Sergeant, Paul Feikema and Martin Clark (24 October 2000)

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