HET99 (Plot 2)

Site: HET99 (Plot 2)	Land Unit: Strathdownie
*Aust. Soil Class.:*

General Land Unit Description:

This land unit comprises the Quaternary lacustrine geology south of the Glenelg River. The lacustrine deposits include lagoonal, swamp and local colluvial deposits formed in low-lying wetlands and depressions between stranded beach ridges. Parent material in this land unit comprises of sand, silt, sandy clay, peat, marl and freshwater limestone, occurring in relatively unconsolidated forms.

The soils are variable throughout this land unit due to varying depositional environments. A common soil type is a strong texture contrast soil (Chromosol, Sodosol) commonly with a bleached A2 horizon and a mottled subsoil indicative of impeded internal drainage). The sandy topsoil can be very deep in some soils. Vertosols are also common on the plains and swales in between the dunes. Podosols occur on the flats as well as on the dunes and that may have been mapped as part of this land unit due to restrictions of scale. Many of the soils are poorly drained and exhibit signs of a perched watertable.

1.5 year old

E. globulus

plantation on ex-agricultural land. As second pit was dug across a row of trees nearby, and revealed that the pan was not broken by the ripper, and no roots were observed below the pan.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary lacustrine	Landform pattern: Level plain
Position in landscape: Flat	Internal drainage: Poorly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-10 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1) loamy sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when moist; common medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A21	10-30 cm	Very pale brown (10YR7/3) sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when moist; few fine roots; abrupt and smooth transition to:
A22	30-55 cm	Pale brown (10YR6/3) sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when wet; very many coarse ferruginous nodules; no roots observed; sharp and wavy transition to:
	Subsoil
B21	55-110 cm	White (10YR8/1) with common coarse distinct brownish yellow (10YR6/7) mottles, light medium clay; strong polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong subangular blocky structure (10-20 mm); weak consistence when moist; few coarse ferruginous nodules and few very coarse calcareous nodules; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed; gradual and smooth transition to:
B22	110-150 cm	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/8) with many very coarse prominent white (7.5YR8/1) mottles, medium heavy clay; moderate polyhedral structure (50-100 mm) parting to moderate subangular blocky structure (20-50 mm); weak consistence when moist; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed.
	150-250 cm	Similar to layer above, few very fine remnant roots.
	250-340 cm	Sandy clay with limestone, impeding layer at 340 cm (too hard for backhoe), roots are able to follow cracks/voids through limestone, few very fine remnant roots observed to bottom of pit, water oozing out of pit wall at 300 cm.

Sampled by: Ian Sargeant, Paul Feikema, Martin Clark and Kiet Quach (2 November, 2000).

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