LSWW14

Sand plains and rises near Edenhope		Site Code	LSWW14	Vertic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Grey Sodosol
		Location	North-west of Lake Wallace, Edenhope, western Victoria
		Landform	Plain
		Geology	Quaternary Lowan Formation: aeolian fine to medium grained dune sand
		Element	Plain


Horizon	Depth (cm)	Description
A1	0–10	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); sand (organic); weak consistence when dry; pH 5.8; abrupt boundary to:
A2	10–35	Pink (7.5YR7/4); conspicuously bleached sand;; massive (structureless); weak consistence when dry; few subrounded ferruginous nodules; pH 6.5; thin (2-5 mm) capping directly above the clay with a very strong consistence when dry; sharp boundary to:
B21	35–70	Pale brown (10YR6/3) changing at depth to yellowish brown (10YR5/6) with abundant coarse distinct red, light grey and yellowish brown mottles; medium clay; moderate coarse blocky, parting to moderate medium polyhedral structure and in patches strong fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence when dry (dispersive when worked); pH 6.4; clear boundary to:
B22	70–120	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6); medium clay; dark stains on prism faces; moderate to strong coarse prismatic, parting to moderate coarse blocky structure; strong consistence when slightly moist; pockets of clayey sand; pH 8.2; gradual boundary to:
B23	120–150	Yellow (10YR7/8); medium clay; strong lenticular structure in patches; firm to very firm consistence when moderately moist; pH 8.8; gradual boundary to:
B31	150–170	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6); sandy clay (with patches of grey); firm consistence when moderately moist; pH 8.6; gradual boundary to:
B32	170–200+	Pinkish grey (7.5YR6/2); sandy clay loam; veins of bluish grey (5B6/1) clay and red flecks of quartz sand; firm consistence when moderately moist; pH 8.7.
Management considerations
Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil Acidic, sandy, hydrophobic topsoil Bleached A2 horizon, with very little nutrient capacity Sodic and mottled subsoil indicating restrictive drainage Subsoil disperses following cultivation when wet Alkaline subsoil at depth with increasing, sodicity, magnesium and salinity Vertic properties (ie lenticular structure) in deeper subsoils Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be medium (estimated at 120 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 70 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. Sand plain, slow to imperfect site drainage

Site
WW14

Sample depth cm

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
-30^okPa

PWP
-1500^okPa

KS
%

FS
%

Z
%

C
%

Horizon

H₂O

CaCl₂

0–10

5.8

5.1

0.05

1.7

0.4

0.1

6.1

53.6

31.1

5.5

10–35

6.5

5.8

<0.05

<0.1

0.9

48.9

42.6

2.5

B21

35–70

6.4

5.3

0.09

2.7

7.3

0.4

2.4

23.9

15.2

B22

70–120

6.9

5.8

0.11

2.5

7.2

0.3

2.5

18.1

23.6

20.2

49.5

B22

70–120

8.2

7.6

0.49

0.11

2.8

9.4

0.3

4.6

B23

120–150

8.6

7.6

0.32

0.08

B31

150–170

8.8

8.1

0.66

0.13

B32

170–200+

8.6

7.8

0.58

0.11

Note: NA=not assessed

Site: LSWW14	Land Unit: Sand Plains and Rises
*Aust. Soil Class.:* Vertic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Grey SODOSOL(confidence level 1)

General Land Unit Description:
This land unit comprises areas with reasonably deep sand deposits, mainly north of the Kanawinka fault. The vegetation commonly marks the distinct changes from a landscape comprising of deep sand to one of shallow sand. The major tree species on the deep sand is Brown Stringybark, with an understorey of heath vegetation, such as Blackboys and Tea Trees. Yellow Gums prefer the shallower sandy topsoils. The major landform in this land unit is gently undulating plains where there are gentle rises and low dunes. The common soil type on the gentle rises and low dunes is a sandy topsoil over mottled clay. The depth of sand is variable (often deeper than 50 cm) similar to this site, and can be as deep as two metres in some areas. The subsoils can be strongly acidic (Kurosol), although Chromosols and Sodosols also occur. Ferruginous nodules above the clay horizon are common. There are minor areas where dunes are the dominant landform. Podosols, Tenosols and soils with a deep sandy topsoil over a clay subsoil occur on the steeper dunes and Chromosols or Kurosols occur on the gentler dunes, with Sodosols and Vertosols on the swales and drainage depression. Podosols are soil types with a deep sandy profile that have a ‘coffee rock’ layer commonly at depth.

This site is found close to areas of deeper sand and shows the soil type on the transition away from the deep sandy soils. The crests and upper slopes above this unit commonly have deep sands (often greater than 1.5 metres on the crests). Dry heath vegetation associated with this land unit, such as Stringbarks, Blackboys, and Tea Trees, are indicative of the deeper sands.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary aeolian	Landform pattern: Gently undulating plain
Position in landscape: Lower slope	Internal drainage: Imperfectly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-10 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2) sand (organic); weak consistence when dry. pH 5.8. Abrupt transition to:
A2	10-35 cm	Pink (7.5YR7/4) sand; conspicuously bleached sand, structureless, weak consistence when dry. A few subrounded ferruginised iron-stone gravels. pH 6.5. Thin (2-5mm) capping directly above the clay, with a very strong consistence when dry. Sharp transition to:
	Subsoil
B21	35-70 cm	Pale brown (10YR6/3) changing at depth to yellowish brown (10YR5/6) medium clay; coarse distinct red, light grey and yellowish brown mottles are abundant, moderate blocky structure, (peds 20-50 mm), breaking to moderate polyhedral structure (peds 10-20 mm) and in patches strong polyhedral structure, (peds 5-10 mm), strong consistence when dry. pH 6.4. Dispersive when worked. Clear transition to:
B22	70-120 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) medium clay; with dark stains down prism faces, moderate to strong prismatic structure (peds 50-100 mm), breaking to moderate blocky structure (peds 20-50 mm); strong consistence when slightly moist. Pockets of clayey sand. pH 8.2. Gradual transition to:
B23	120-150 cm	Yellow (10YR7/8) medium clay; strong lenticular structure in patches, firm to very firm consistence when moderately moist. pH 8.8. Gradual transition to:
B31	150-170 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) sandy clay (with patches of grey); firm consistence when moderately moist. pH 8.6. Gradual transition to:
B32	170-200+ cm	Pinkish grey (7.5YR6/2) sandy clay loam; veins of bluish grey (5B6/1) clay, and red flecks of quartz sand, firm consistence when moderately moist. pH 8.7.

Key Profile Features

Sandy topsoil
Hyrophobic topsoil
Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil
Bleached A2 horizon
Sodic subsoil
Mottled subsoil
Subsoil disperses following cultivation when wet
Acidic topsoil
Alkaline subsoil at depth
Cracking deeper subsoils

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