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GL41

Location: Dartmoor

Australian Soil Classification: Haplic, Petrocalcic, Red CHROMOSOL (high free iron) (confidence level 2)
General Landscape Description: Level to gently undulating plain
Site Description: Upper slope, 7% slope
Land Unit: Nelson Plains and Dunes
Geology: Quaternary limestone

General Land Unit Description: This land unit occurs in the south western corner of the region. The land unit is generally composed of siliceous sand dunes and plains over calcareous material. The partly consolidated calcareous deposits were formed in an arcuate band (north west / south east trending) formed by the retreat of the Murray Sea. The siliceous dune and sand sheet material is generally of aeolian origin. Although there is a large area of this land unit in the south west of the study area there are also some isolated patches, mainly mixed amongst the Follet land unit that could not be mapped due to restrictions of scale.

The sand varies from orange (GL48), to red (GL39) to a paler colour. The orange and red sands are usually associated with the calcareous material, whereas the paler sands tend to have less carbonate (e.g. GL51, GL38) or the calcareous material is greater than 2 metres deep (e.g. GL50). Another soil variant occurs on the swales in between the dunes. This soil tends to have a heavier textured subsoil which may or may not have calcareous material underneath.

This site is characterised by a strong texture contrast (Chromosol) but it also has a high level of free iron in the subsoil, which is it’s most distinguishing feature. This soil typically occurs on the lower dunes and slopes of some of the dunes. This soil tends to have a heavier textured subsoil compared to the Tenosols and Rudosol, and may or may not have limestone underneath. This soil type has been mapped as the Follet Dunes and Rises land unit, possibly due to the deep sandy topsoil, although due to the limestone at depth, it sits better in the Nelson Dunes and Plains land unit. It is not clear what the origin of the subsoil is, although it is likely that it may be of basalt origin, since high free iron is often associated with this geology. This soil type is similar to site GL42, GL43 and GL80 and they tend to have a higher capability of supporting a range of land uses (e.g. Viticulture), due to their favourable physical and chemical properties.

Soil pit GL41 auger



Soil Profile Morphology

A110-25 cmVery dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); hydrophobic; sand; apedal, single grained structure; pH 6.7; gradual change to:


A1225-70 cmStrong brown (7.5YR4/6), with many large faint yellow mottles and some organic staining; sand; apedal, single grained structure; pH 7.3; clear change to:


Subsoil



B270-130 cmRed (2.5YR4/6); light clay; weak fine polyhedral structure; very firm consistence, dry; pH 6.5; gradual change to:


B31130-170 cmYellowish red (5YR4/6); heavy fine sandy clay loam; weak structure; firm consistence, dry; pH 6.4; gradual change to:


B32170-190 cmYellowish red (5YR4/6); fine sandy clay loam; weak structure; firm consistence, dry; common manganese flecks present; clear change to:


C190+ cmLimestone.




Key profile features:
  • Deep sandy topsoil
  • Hydrophobic topsoil
  • Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil
  • Limestone at depth


Soil Profile Characteristics:
-

pH
Salinity
Surface Soil
(A1 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Medium
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(70-130 cm)
Slightly Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(130 -170 cm)
Slightly Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None





Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl
2)
EC
dS/m
Organic Carbon
%
Total
Nitrogen
%
Exchangeable Aluminium
ppm
Exchangeable Acididty
meq/100g
Exchangeable Cations
Coarse Sand
(0.2-2.0 mm)
%
Fine Sand
(0.02-0.2 mm)
%
Silt
(0.002-0.02 mm)
%
Clay
(<0.002 mm)
%
Field Capacity
% w/w
Wilting Point
% w/w
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A11
0-25
6.7
6.3
0.11
1.1
0.05
2.9
3.3
0.78
0.17
0.32
51
41
2
5
5.9
4.6
A12
25-70
7.3
6.9
0.11
2.0
0.39
0.11
0.28
42
51
2
5
8.9
2.0
B2
70-130
6.5
6.0
0.07
9.6
5.6
3.6
0.14
0.41
11
20
1
70
36.4
24.8
B31
130-170
6.4
6.1
0.07
<10
7.0
3.3
2.2
0.09
0.29
42
22
1
37
19.0
14.0



Profile Described By: Natalie Baxter and Grant Boyle, 3rd October 2000.
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