LSWW26

Sandy soils of the Little Desert		Site Code	LSWW26	Bleached-Ferric, Yellow KUROSOL
		Location	Coleraine-Edenhope Road, Kadnook, western Victoria
		Landform	Plain
		Geology	Quaternary Lowan Formation: aeolian fine to medium grained dune sand
		Element	Plain




Horizon	Depth (cm)	Description
A1	0–10	Disturbed horizon.
A2	10–30	Greyish brown (2.5Y5/2); sand (organic); weak to massive structure; weak consistence when dry; pH 5.7:
A2	30–75	Light yellowish brown (2.5Y6/3), conspicuously bleached, with a few faint orange and brown mottles; sand; massive (structureless); weak consistence when dry; pH 5.2:
Bs	75–90	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) with common distinct orange mottles; sand; ferruginous and indurated sandstone are abundant; pH 5.5.
B2	90–130	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) with many prominent coarse red and orange mottles; light medium clay; strong fine to very fine polyhedral structure; clay skins on the ped-faces; pH 5.5:
B3	130+	Abundant very coarse red prominent mottles; partially weathered sandstone and clay; clay skins on the clay-ped faces; horizon grading towards BC.
Management considerations
Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil. Deep sandy acidic surface and subsurface soil. Hydrophobic surface soil. Bleached A2 horizon with little nutrient. Acidic, mottled subsoil, limited nutrient availability. Ferric ‘ironstone’ pan above subsoil, possible Podosol. Weathered sandstone occurring at depth. Gently undulating plain, poor to imperfect site drainage.

Horizon	Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m
Horizon	Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m
A1	0–10
A2	10–30	5.7	4.4	<0.05
A2	30–75	5.2	4.2	<0.05
Bs	75–90	5.5	4.4	<0.05
B2	90–130	5.5	4.3	<0.05
B3	130+

Site: LSWW26	Land Unit: Sand Plains and Rises
*Aust. Soil Class.:* Bleach-Ferric, ?, Yellow CHROMOSOL (very thick sandy surface) (confidence level 4)

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.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary aeolian	Landform pattern: Undulating plains and rises
Position in landscape: Upper slope	Internal drainage: Moderately well drained

Soil Profile Morphology

Ap	0-10 cm	Disturbed horizon.
1A1	10-30 cm	Greyish brown (2.5Y5/2) sand (organic) weak to massive structure, weak consistence when dry. pH 5.7.
1A2	30-75 cm	Light yellowish brown (2.5Y6/3) sand, conspicuously bleached, a few faint orange and brown mottles, structureless, weak consistence when dry. pH 5.2.
	Subsoil
1Bs	75-90 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) sand, distinct orange mottles are common, ferruginised iron and indurated sandstone are abundant. pH 5.5.
1B2	90-130 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) light medium clay, many prominent coarse red and orange mottles are common, strong polyhedral structure (peds 5-10 mm breaking to 2-5 mm), clay skins on the ped faces. pH 5.5.
1B3	130+ cm	Partially weathered sandstone and clay, very coarse red, prominent mottles are abundant, clay skins on the clay ped faces. Horizon heading towards BC.

Key Profile Features

Deep sandy topsoil
Hydrophobic topsoil
Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil
Bleached A2 horizon
Mottled subsoil
Ferric pan
Acidic topsoil
Acidic subsoil
Weathered sandstone occurring at depth

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