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LSWW9

WLRA - soil pit WW9- landscape
Self-mulching clay plains near Leeor

    Site Code
LSWW9
WLRA - soil pit WW9- profile
Epicalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-mulching, Grey Vertosol

    Location

Leeor, western Victoria

    Landform

Plain

    Geology

Quaternary Woorinen Formation:
aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay

    Element

Plain
Horizon
Depth (cm)
Description

A1

0–10

Very dark grey (10YR3/1); light medium clay; self–mulching surface condition; moderate coarse blocky, parting to fine polyhedral structure; pH 8.3.

B21

10–25

Dark grey (10YR4/1); light medium clay; moderate coarse blocky structure; smooth ped-fabric, some rough faces due to compaction; pH 8.7.

B22

25–55

Dark reddish grey (2.5Y4/1); light medium clay; moderate coarse, parting to strong coarse blocky, parting further to moderate medium blocky structure; very strong consistence when dry; few soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.2.

B23k

55–110

Light grey (2.5Y7/2); light clay; moderate coarse prismatic, parting to moderate medium blocky structure; many soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.7.

B24

110–190+

Light grey (2.5Y7/2); medium heavy clay; strong lenticular structure; few small slickensides; pH 9.6.
Management considerations
  • Alkaline clay soil
  • Vertic properties; self mulching surface, gilgai and cracking
  • Topsoil can become compacted following cultivation when soil is wet
  • Non-sodic and non-dispersive in first metre
  • The landscape has gilgai micro-relief, creating uneven horizons. In some cases the carbonate horizon can be within 30 cm of surface
  • A discontinuous bleached A2 horizon with a fine sandy clay texture can occur that indicates that some waterlogging may occur in the depressions on the gilgai microrelief
  • Soil salinity increases with depth and deeper subsoil is strongly sodic
  • Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be high (estimated at 200 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 100 cm. Rooting depth will be restricted by subsoil conditions, such as strongly sodic (Exchangeable Sodium Percentage >20%), high soluble salt levels (chloride >0.1%), poor structure (eg. massive or very coarse, columnar or prismatic), very high carbonate (lime) content (not applicable to all plant species) or hard rock.
  • Plain, poor site drainage

Site
WW9
Sample depth cm
pH
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%
Ex Ca
cmol-/kg
Ex Mg
cmol-/kg
Ex K
cmol-/kg
Ex Na
cmol-/kg
Ex Al
mg/kg
Ex acidity
cmol-/kg
FC
-30okPa
PWP
-1500okPa
KS
%
FS
%
Z
%
C
%
Horizon
H2O
CaCl2
A1
0–10
8.3
7.7
0.17
NA
26
4.3
2.3
0.3
NA
NA
NA
22.4
5.2
23.6
7
51.5
B21
10–25
8.7
7.9
0.13
NA
24
8.6
2
1
NA
NA
NA
27.7
4.2
17.4
7.5
58
B22
25–55
9.2
8.3
0.22
NA
15
12
1.7
4.1
NA
NA
NA
NA
4.4
19.2
10
54.5
B23k
55–110
9.7
8.7
0.48
<0.05
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
31.5
NA
NA
NA
NA
B24
110–190+
9.6
8.7
1
0.2
3.6
17
2.1
13
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Note: NA=not assessed
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