LSWW04a

Red and grey clay plains and rises				Epicalcareous-Endohypesodic, Epipedal, Red VERTOSOL
		Location	Lillimur, western Victoria
		Landform	Rise
		Geology	Quaternary Woorinen Formation: aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay
		Element	Hillslope




Horizon	Depth (cm)	Description
A1	0–10	Dark brown (10YR3/3); light medium clay; moderate fine subangular blocky to polyhedral structure; very firm consistence when dry; very few ferruginous nodules; pH 8.1; abrupt boundary to:
B21	10–50	Yellowish red (5YR5/8;) medium clay(increasing to medium heavy clay at depth); strong angular coarse blocky, parting to medium blocky structure; smooth ped fabric; a few slickenside cutans; strong consistence when slightly moist; few ferruginous nodules; pH 8.7; clear and wavy boundary to:
B22k	50–80	Reddish yellow (7.5YR7/6); light medium clay; moderate coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse subangular blocky and moderate medium blocky structure; smooth ped fabric; very firm consistence when slightly moist; many soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.7; gradual and wavy boundary to:
B23k	80–130	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6), with few fine mottles; light medium clay; strong coarse prismatic structure (at depth) to moderate coarse lenticular structure; smooth ped fabric, firm consistence when moderately moist; contains many (although patchy) soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.7; gradual and wavy transition to:
B24	130–180+	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6), with very few fine faint light grey mottles; medium clay; strong coarse lenticular, parting to fine lenticular structure; smooth ped fabric; strong consistence when slightly moist; very few soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.6.
Management Considerations
Alkaline clayey profile, with tendency to texture contrast. Concentration of clay in upper subsoil with calcium carbonate horizons beneath. Profile becomes strongly sodic in deeper subsoil (from 50 cm depth) and calcium in the form of carbonate. Soil salinity is medium to high at 80 cm depth. Compaction can occur if soils are excessively cultivated, especially when soil is wet. Slickensides and gilgai micro-relief indicate significant shrinking and swelling occurs during the wetting and drying cycles. Gilgai micro-relief, caused by the soil cracking when dry, has led to grey soil occurring in the depressions. See description WW4b. Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be medium (estimated at 145 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 50 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 (e.g. massive or very coarse, columnar or prismatic), very high carbonate (lime) content (not applicable to all plant species) variable depth to a restricting layer or hard rock. Gentle hillslope, imperfect site drainage.

Horizon	Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	NaCl %	Exchangeable Cations cmol-/kg				Wilting Point (pF4.2)	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
Horizon	Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	NaCl %	Ca	Mg	K	Na	Wilting Point (pF4.2)	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
A1	0–10	8.1	7.5	0.15		19	2.3	1.9	0.3	13.6	16	38	9	29.5
B21	10–50	8.7	8	0.14		23	8.8	1.3	1.4	26.9	8.8	18.8	6	56.5
B22k	50–80	9.7	8.5	0.41	<0.05	6.2	11	1	6	22.0	4.8	10.8	5.5	35
B23k	80–130	9.7	9	0.6	<0.05	4.2	11	1.1	9.4
B24	130–180+	9.6	8.8	0.63	<0.05

Page top