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CRC17

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Location: Lexton
Aust. Soil Class.: Vertic, (& Magnesic), Mottled-Mesonatric, Yellow SODOSOL

General Site Description: Intermediate level terrace
Site Description: Grazing paddock
Geology: Cambrian/Ordovician sediments

Photo:  Landscape Photo Bet Bet soil pits 1, 2 and 3
CRC17 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil



Photo:  Profile Photo Bet Bet soil pit 2
CRC17 profile
A10-8 cmVery dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); light sandy clay loam; weak medium-coarse subangular blocky structure; firm consistence (dry); fine (2-10 mm) subangular and angular quartz fragments common (10-20%); pH 6.8; abrupt change to:
A218-12 cmBrown (10YR5/3) sporadically bleached (10YR7/2 dry); light sandy clay loam (medium sand); massive; firm to very firm consistence (dry); many (50%) fine (2-20 mm) subangular and angular quartz fragments; pH 5.9; abrupt and wavy change to:
A2212-15 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/4) conspicuously bleached (10YR8/2 dry); sandy clay loam; massive; very firm consistence (dry); many (>50%) fine (2-10 mm) subangular and angular quartz fragments; abrupt change to:

Subsoil
B115-17 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/4) with many (20%) distinct medium (5-10 mm) strong brown mottles (7.5YR5/4) mottles; light clay (fine sandy); strong consistence (dry); fine (2-10 mm) fine subangular and angular quartz fragments common (15%); forms capping on prism tops; abrupt change to:
B2117-40 cmReddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) with medium (5-15 mm) faint yellowish red 5YR5/6) mottles common (15%); medium clay; strong very coarse prismatic, parting to moderate coarse prismatic, further parting to moderate very coarse to coarse blocky structure; rigid consistence (dry); slickensides at base; cutans on ped surface (i.e. clay skins); pH 6.5; clear change to:
B2240-55 cmBrownish yellow (10YR6/6) with few (10%) reddish yellow (5YR6/6) mottles; light medium clay; strong very coarse prismatic (continuous with above), parting to strong coarse to medium subangular blocky structure; strong consistence (dry); very few (0-2%) fine (2-4 mm) quartz fragments; pH 8.1; clear and wavy change to:
BC55-70 cmLight yellowish brown (10YR6/6) with light grey (2.5Y7/1) mottles; silty clay; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; strong to rigid consistence (dry); ‘ghost rock’, smooth; pH 8.5; clear change to:
R+70+ cmSaprolite - reddish yellow (7.5YR6/8) and light grey (2.5Y7/1); pH 8.3.

Key Profile Features:
  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B21) horizon.
  • Vertic properties (i.e. slickensides) in subsoil.
Soil Profile Characteristics:


pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Low-Medium
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Low
Strongly Sodic
Strong
Deeper subsoil
(at 55-70 cm)
Moderately Alkaline
Medium
Strongly Sodic
Moderate-Strong

Photo:  Bet Bet 2 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
(0.2-2.0mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02-0.2mm)
Silt
(0.002-0.02mm)
Clay
(<0.002mm)
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-8
6.8
6.4
0.25
13
2.6
0.43
0.93

7.6
36.9
15.7
18
44
16
11
A21
8-12
5.9
4.7
0.11
1.3
1.5
0.13
0.79

7.4
23.2
6.0
17
51
16
12
B21
17-40
6.5
5.4
0.24
0.95
7.4
0.40
2.9
<10
7.9
37.1
16.1
3
11
14
38
B22
40-55
8.1
7.1
0.47
<0.1
5.5
<0.1
2.7

37.2
6.5
2
11
29
56
BC
55-70
8.5
7.4
0.39
0.06
<0.1
1.9
<0.1
1.1

2
19
38
39
R+
70+
8.3
7.6
0.48
0.10

20
31
38
9

Notes:
  • Soil profile described by Mark Imhof, David Rees and Doug Crawford, (20/12/04).
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