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PVI 11

Site: PVI 11Land Unit: Basalt Alluvium
Aust. Soil Class.: Mottled, Epipedal, Black VERTOSOL (very gravelly surface)

Soil pit PVI 11 landscapeGeneral Land Unit Description:
This land unit consists of the smaller swamps and depression which occur on the basalt plains. Grey Vertosols tend to dominate the smaller swamps and depressions on the plains. On the other hand, Black Vertosols are commonly found in the swamps and depressions associated with the stony rise landscapes and the larger alluvial plains. Both soil types are typically sodic at depth and imperfectly drained. There are minor occurrences of Sodosols. In some areas of the basalt plain, this land unit would have been incorporated into the basalt land units.

Site Description:
Geology: Recent alluvial over Quaternary basaltLandform pattern: Plain
Position in landscape: Drainage depressionInternal drainage: Imperfectly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A110-10 cmVery dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); gravelly clay; weak consistence (dry); many (40%) ferruginous nodules (2-5 mm); rusty root channel; pH 5.7; clear change to:Soil pit PVI 11 profile
A1210-20 cmVery dark brown (10YR2/2); gravelly clay; moderate strong blocky structure; weak consistence (dry); very many (60%) ferruginous nodules (2-5 mm); pH 6.5; rusty root channel mottling; abrupt change to:
Subsoil
B2120-90 cmVery dark grey (2.5Y 3/0) with few (10%) faint brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; heavy clay; moderate very coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse blocky structure; slickensides; strong cracking; very strong consistence (dry); pH 7.1; gradual change to:
B2290-120 cmDark grey (10YR4/1) with faint brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; heavy clay; strong medium to coarse lenticular structure; very firm consistence (moist); pH 5.9; gradual change to:
B23120+ cmGrey (10YR5/1) with faint brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; heavy clay; strong medium to coarse lenticular structure; slickensides; very firm consistence (moist); pH 6.0.

Key Profile Features

  • Large amount of ferruginous nodules in surface (A) horizons
  • Clay texture throughout soil profile
  • Significant cracking when profile is dry
  • Prominent slickensides in subsoil
Soil Profile Characteristics

pH
Salinity Rating
Sodicity
Dispersion
Surface soil
(A1 horizon)
Moderately Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Upper subsoil
(20-90 cm)
Near Neutral
Low
Marginally Sodic
None1
Deeper subsoil
(at 120+ cm)
Moderately Acid
High - Very High
Non-Sodic
None
1 strong dispersion after remoulding

Soil pit PVI 11 graphs

Horizon
Horizon
Depth
pH
(water)
pH
CaCl2
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%
Exchangeable Cations
Ex Al
mg/kg
Ex Ac
meq/100g
Field
pF2.5
Wilting
Point
pF4.2
Coarse
Sand
(0.02-0.2mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02-0.2mm)
Silt
(0.02-0.02mm)
Clay
(<0.002mm)
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A11
0-10
5.7
5.2
0.17
14
11
1.1
0.50
12
33.0
26.4
35.4
7.8
12.5
27.5
A12
10-20
6.5
5.9
0.12
12
14
1.1
0.73
34.5
21.4
36.6
8.4
10.5
36.5
B21
20-90
7.1
6.4
0.13
14
25
1.3
2.4
60.4
32.6
0.8
8.3
14.5
68.5
B22
90-120
5.9
5.6
1.7
0.32
13
20
0.4
1.7
11
12
63.3
33.1
0.3
8.6
17.0
71.0
B23
120+
6.0
5.8
1.9
0.31
12
20
0.5
1.6
11
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