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Site SW59

Location: Simpson.Australian Soil Classification: Sesquic, Semiaquic PODOSOL
Great Soil Group: podzolGeneral Landscape Description: Upper slope crest in a dissected plain.
Geology: Veneer of Tertiary Hanson Plain Sand overlying Gellibrand Marl.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A10-15 cmBlack (2.5Y2.5/1); sandy loam; pH 5.6; smooth change to:

Image:  GP59 Profile
Site SW59 photo. Note: Surface (A1) horizon has been stripped from this profile
A215-30 cmIntermittent horizon; conspicuously bleached; clear and wavy change to:

Subsoil

B21s15/30-60 cmMottled yellowish brown (10YR5/8 moist) and very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2 moist); sandy clay loam; weak very fine polyhedral structure; weak to firm consistence; weakly cemented, weak 'coffee rock'; pH 5.3; gradual and wavy change to:

B22g60-90 cmLight olive brown (2.5Y5/4 moist) with prominent yellowish brown (10YR7/8 moist) to yellow (10YR5/8 moist) mottles; sandy clay; very coarse (50-100 mm in size) polyhedral, parting to coarse (20-50 mm in size blocky structure; whitish sand coatings on the larger ped faces; pH 5.5; clear smooth change to:

B390 cm+Light greenish grey (5GY7/1 moist); heavy clay; brownish yellow (10YR6/8 moist) mottles; very coarse (50-100 mm in size) polyhedral, parting to coarse (20-50 mm in size) blocky structure; slickensides (>50 mm in size) present; pH 6.3.

Key Profile Features:
  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B21) horizon.
Key Profile Characteristics:

pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Moderately Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
Strongly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper subsoil
(at 90+ cm)
Slightly Acid
Low
-
None

Image:  GP59 Graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
CaCl2
EC
1:5
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-30
5.6
5
0.16
5.8
0.87
0.26
0.33
Sporadic A2 not sampled
B21
30-60
5.3
4.5
0.08
0.83
1
0.12
0.27
B22
60-90
5.5
4.6
0.08
1.2
2.8
0.14
0.41
B3
90+
6.3
5.2
0.14

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
Exchangeable Aluminium
mg/kg
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)
A1
0-30
<10
12
20
9
24
49
11
9
      Sporadic A2 not sampled
B21
30-60
150
11
20
11
18
48
2
25
B22
60-90
61
5.7
22
12
18
44
4
33
B3
90+

Management Considerations:

Subsoil (B) Horizons
  • Exchangeable aluminium levels are quite high in the strongly acid upper subsoil. This may restrict the growth of aluminium sensitive species.
Notes:
  • Contrast gleyed subsoil - sandy clay to heavy clay represents transition from overlying Hanson Plain Sand to underlying Gellibrand Marl.
Profile Described By: Mark Imhof and Richard MacEwan, April 1999.
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