ESAS13

Location: Minimay

Australian Soil Classification: Vertic (& Sodic), Hypercalcic, Grey DERMOSOL

General Landscape Description: Level plain.
Site Description: Gilgai - mounds and depressions evident.
Land Use: Continuous cropping paddock. Area under a centre pivot.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil			ESAS13 Profile
Ap	0-8 cm	Grey; Sandy clay loam; firm surface condition; moderate coarse angular blocky, parting to moderate medium angular blocky structure; weak consistence dry; pH 7.8; smooth change to:
A2	8-18 cm	Variable color ranges from grey to reddish brown; variable texture ranges from sandy clay loam to light medium clay; strong consistence dry; apedal; very strongly cemented cultivation pan evident; pH 6.8; abrupt change to:
Subsoil
B21	18-35 cm	Variable color ranges from grey to reddish brown; light clay, sandy; strong very coarse prismatic, parting to strong medium prismatic structure; very strong consistence dry; a few distinct slickensides evident; moderately calcareous; pH 8.1; clear change to:
B22	35-48 cm	Variable color ranges from grey to reddish brown; medium clay, sandy; strong very coarse prismatic, parting to strong medium prismatic structure; very strong consistence dry; common distinct slickensides evident; moderately calcareous; pH 8.3; clear change to:
B23	48-65 cm	Strong very coarse prismatic structure; rigid consistence dry; distinct slickensides common; moderately calcareous; pH 8.8; gradual change to:
B24	65-84 cm	Medium clay; strong consistence dry; distinct slickensides common; moderately calcareous; pH 9.3; abrupt change to:
B25k	84-150 cm	Medium clay; strong coarse angular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; very highly calcareous; pH 9.5.

ESAS13 Profile variability due to gilgai - mounds have a grey B21 with carbonate appearing high in the profile.
Depressions have a reddy brown B21 with not as much carbonate high up.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	Slightly Alkaline	Low-Medium	Sodic	None
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Moderately Alkaline	Low-Medium	Sodic	None¹
Deeper Subsoil (at 84-120 cm)	Very strongly Alkaline	Medium-High	Strongly Sodic	None²

¹ Moderate dispersion after remoulding. ² Slight dispersion after remoulding.

Image: ESAS13 Graphs

The surface is slightly alkaline. The upper subsoil is moderately alkaline becoming very strongly alkaline at depth.

The salinity rating in the surface and upper subsoil is low to medium. The salinity rating of the deeper subsoil is medium to high.

The surface and the upper subsoil is sodic. The deeper subsoil is strongly sodic.

The clay content generally increases with depth down the profile.

The boron content is low at the surface but increases in the subsoil.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	NaCl %	Exchangeable Cations
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						meq/100g
Ap	0-8	7.8	7.3	0.31	0.03	13	5.7	0.97	1.5
A2	8-18	6.8	5.7	0.11	-	3	1.9	0.15	0.99
B21	18-35	8.1	7.5	0.27	0.03	5.2	5.3	0.36	1.8
B22	35-48	8.3	7.7	0.48	0.08	6.5	9.1	0.57	4
B23	48-65	8.8	8.2	0.79	0.11	7.8	14	0.74	6.9
B24	65-84	9.3	8.6	0.77	0.09	6.9	14	0.63	7.8
B25	84-120	9.5	8.6	0.73	0.07	6.3	10	0.57	7.1
BCk	120-150	9.6	8.7	0.61	0.05

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Oxidisable Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Boron %	Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g	Field Capacity pF2.5	Wilting Point pF4.2	Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm)	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm)	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm)	Clay (<0.002 mm)


Ap	0-8	2.3	0.2	1.5		28.3	13.5	23	30	15	25
A2	8-18			0.7	2.5	15.1	4.9	30	42	10	16
B21	18-35			1.3		20.6	9.2	29	36	11	21
B22	35-48			4.7		29.0	13.8	23	32	11	30
B23	48-65			7.8		40.8	19.0
B24	65-84			7.5		39.5	18.0
B25	84-120			4.7
BCk	120-150

Profile Described By: Bernard Noonan and Melissa Cann (March 2009).

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