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SW5

Location: AyrfordAustralian Soil Classification: Mottled-Sodic, Eutrophic, Brown DERMOSOL/ ferric kaolinitic clay.
Northcote Factual Key: Gn 3.71Great Soil Group: brown podzolic
General Landscape Description: Level plain.Geology: Tertiary deposits: Hanson Plain Sand (Tpb). Lateritization evident.

SW5 landscape
SW5 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A110-15 cmBrown (10YR4/3) very fine sandy clay loam; weak to moderate medium blocky structure; weak consistence moist; contains few (2- 5%) ferromanganiferous nodules (2-4 mm size); pH 5.9; abrupt change to:
SW5 profile
SW5 Profile
Subsoil

B2115-25 cmYellowish red (5YR5/6) light clay (subplastic); moderate medium blocky structure; weak consistence moist; contains few (2-5%) ferro-manganiferous nodules (2 -10 mm size); pH 6.0 clear change to:
B2225-50 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) with strong brown (7.5YR5/6) mottles; light clay (subplastic); moderate medium blocky structure; weak consistence, moderately moist; contains a few (5%) ferro-manganiferous concretions (2-10 mm size); pH 6.0 clear change to:
B2350-75 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) with strong brown (7.5YR5/6) mottles; light medium clay (subplastic); strong coarse polyhedral, parting to fine polyhedral structure pH 6.8:
B2475-95cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) light clay (subplastic); strong medium-coarse polyhedral, breaking to strong fine polyhedral structure; very firm consistence, moderately moist; ferruginous concretions (2 - 8 cm size) common (20%); pH 5.9:
B395 cm+Light grey (2.5Y7/0) with brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; light clay (subplastic); strong consistence dry; contains many (50%) ferruginous concretions (2-10 cm size); pH 5.6.

Key Profile Features:
  • Lack of strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizon and subsoil (B21) horizon.
  • Deeply weathered lateTertiary clay horizon in deep subsoil.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

SW5 pH
The surface soil is moderately acid, as is the upper subsoil. The deeper subsoil (from 50 cm depth) becomes slightly acid. The deep subsoil is moderately acid.
SW5 salinity

The salinity rating is very low throughout most of the profile and becomes low in the deeper subsoil.

SW5 clay



There is no strong texture contrast at the A/B horizon boundary. The deeper subsoil has a very high clay content.

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC 1:5
NaCl
%
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A11
0-15
5.9
5.4
0.19
9.4
1.7
0.64
0.70
B21
15-25
6.0
5.7
0.22
5.4
1.3
0.33
0.47
B22
25-30
6
5.8
0.17
4.1
3.4
0.21
0.65
B23
50-75
6.8
6.3
0.16
3.1
6.0
0.20
0.87
B24
75-95
5.9
5.4
0.61
<0.05
3.5
5.2
0.15
0.84
B3
95+
5.6
4.9
0.32
<0.05
4.3
4.1
0.14
0.94

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
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)
A11
0-15
19.0
9.1
37.0
11.5
29.0
B21
15-25
17.0
7.6
36.0
13.0
41.0
B22
25-30
19.4
8.0
30.7
9.0
52.0
B23
50-75
27.5
4.8
16.5
6.0
74.0
B24
75-95
26.0
9.2
17.4
5.0
71.5
B3
95+
23.0
16.6
19.1
4.0
62.0


Management Considerations:

Whole Profile

  • Plant available water capacity (PAWC) is considered to be moderate (estimated at 120 mm) for the top metre of the soil profile. This is based on available laboratory data.
Surface (A) Horizon
  • The surface soil has a high organic matter content. Organic matter is important in terms of promoting aggregation of soils such as these with high fine sand and silt contents.
  • The nutrient status of the surface soil is moderate (based on the sum of the exchangeable basic cations).
Subsoil (B) Horizons
  • The subplastic properties of the subsoil may lead to problems with sealing of earth dams. Sealing can be improved by compaction at the optimum water content and treatment with sodium tri-polyphosphate or addition of bentonite (Rolfe 1989).

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Austin Brown and Ruth Lourey, 16th April 1996.
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