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GP19

Location: Darnum.Australian Soil Classification: Bleached, Kandosolic, Redoxic HYDROSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Um 2.21Great Soil Group: podzolic
Geology: Recent alluvial fan and alluvial plain deposits (derived from Strzelecki's).General Landscape Description: Level Plain.
Mapping Unit: Yarragon

Photo: Soil Site GP19 Landscape
Site GP19 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A10-20 cmGreyish brown (10YR5/2); silty clay loam; weak blocky structure; firm consistence moist; pH 5.2; clear change to:

Graph: Site GP19 Profile
Site GP19 Profile
A220-35 cmPale brown (10YR6/3) with slight yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottles; silty clay loam; weak blocky structure; firm consistence dry; contains a few (2-5%) ferromanganiferous nodules (and dark stains (8 mm size); pH 5.8; clear change to:
Subsoil

B21
35-90 cm
Pale brown (10YR6/3) with dark brown (7.5YR3/4) mottles; silty clay loam; weak blocky structure; very firm consistence dry; pH 5.9; clear change to:

B2290+ cmPale brown (10YR6/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/6) mottles; silty clay; pH 5.6.

Key Profile Features:
  • Lack of texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and weakly structured subsoil (B) horizons (i.e. Kandosolic).
  • The soil profile is saturated for prolonged periods (i.e. several months) in most years (i.e. Hydrosol).

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Graph: Site GP19 pH levels
Graph: Site GP19 Salinity
Graph: Site GP19 Clay%

The surface horizon is strongly acid. The soil profile then becomes moderately acid throughout.

The salinity rating is very low throughout the profile.

The clay content remains uniform throughout most of the soil profile

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
water
pH CaCl2
EC 1:5
Exchangeable Cations
Ex. Al mg/kg
Field Capacity
pF 2.5
Wilting Point
pF 4.2
Coarse Sand
(0.2 -2.0 mm)
Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm)
Silt
(0.002-0.02 mm)
Clay
(<0.002 mm)
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-20
4.5
5.2
0.09
3
1.1
0.28
0.28
46
40.1
10.9
1
38
46
18
A2
20-35
4.7
5.8
<0.05
2.8
1.2
0.12
0.16
30.1
7
1
39
45
19
B21
35-90
4.9
5.9
<0.05
2.6
1.5
0.13
0.18
28.4
6.9
1
36
47
19
B22
90+
4.5
5.6
<0.05
2
1.5
0.13
0.27

Management Considerations:

Whole Profile
  • Plant available water capacity is considered to be low (estimated at 70 mm) for the top metre of the soil profile. This is based on available laboratory data.

  • The soil profile is likely to be saturated for prolonged periods (i.e. several months) in most years.
Surface (A) Horizons
  • The surface soil has a low inherent nutrient status (based on the sum of the basic exchangeable cations).

  • Aluminium toxicity can occur in strongly acid surface soils. The level of exchangeable aluminium measured in the laboratory (i.e. 46 ug/g) is, however, not high for this particular site. Manganese toxicity can also occur in strongly acid soils, particularly if waterlogging occurs. These measurements are best made using a bulked sample taken from across a paddock.

  • Molybdenum deficiency can also occur in acid soils. Increasing pH by liming will increase molybdenum availability.

  • Deterioration in surface soil structure is likely to occur (i.e. pugging, compaction) if overstocking takes place when the soil is wet.
Subsoil (B) Horizons
  • The subsoil has a low nutrient status (based on the sum of the basic exchangeable cations).
Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Ian Sargeant and Paul Rampant (13/2/96).
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