GL29

Site: GL29	Land Unit: Follet Dunes and Plains
*Aust. Soil Class.:* Melacic, Humic, Aeric PODOSOL (confidence level 3)

General Land Unit Description:

The majority of this land unit falls south of the Kanawinka fault. This land unit comprises areas with deep sand deposits. The residual landscape is thought to be influenced by the retreat of the Murray Sea which left stranded beach ridges oriented south west–north east. These were subsequently covered by superficial sand sheets in later depositional phases, which formed the landscape seen today.

The major landforms in this land unit are dunes and swales. Podosols and Kurosols or Chromosols are the major soil types found on the dunes and rises. Podosols are soils with a ‘coffee rock’ layer (refer to photograph). The Kurosols or Chromosols tend to have a deep sandy topsoil over the clay. The common soil types on the swales are black cracking clay (Vertosols) or Grey Sodosols. Some Ferric Kurosols or Chromosols can also occur on the swales or lower slopes of the dunes.

Site Description:

Slope: 1%	Geology: Quaternary aeolian
Landform pattern: Dune	Position in landscape: Crest
Internal drainage: Well drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-50 cm	Very dark grey (2.5Y3/1), sand, apedal, pH 4.7; transition to:
A2	50-65 cm	Dark grey (2.5Y4/1) when moist to grey (2.5Y6/1) when dry, sand, single structure, pH 5.1; transition to:
Subsoil
B2	65-75 cm	Grey (2.5Y5/1) sand, single structure, high organic matter content, pH 4.9; transition to:
Bh	75-100 cm	Black (5YR2.5/1) sand, massive structure, pH 5.0.

Key profile features:

Sandy profile throughout
Deep sandy topsoil
Strongly acidic topsoil
Strongly acidic subsoil

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