Soils of the Plains

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These soils are associated with former swamps and lower lying areas where significant alluvium has accumulated.

Organosols have developed in former peat swamps e.g. Buckley's Swamp. In most cases, the peat layers have been degraded by fire and agricultural practices. However, in a few cases the soil profile contains significant amounts of sapric peat and organic materials e.g. PVI5. Material below the organic layers varies significantly e.g. unconsolidated alluvial materials of clay and sand at site PVI5 and weathered basalt at site PVI5a.

Chromosolic Hydrosols have formed in other swamp areas e.g. PVI10. These have loamy surface horizons with some occasional peaty materials overlying gleyed clays.

The Vertosols are often aquic when undrained and have grey or black subsoils when formed in lower lying depositional areas e.g. PVI4, PVI11 and SFS16. These also have coarsely structured upper subsoils, which are generally sodic and dispersive. Levels of soluble salts can be high in the deeper subsoils. These Vertosols are not typical of the main swampy areas, such as Buckley's Swamp.