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Site GL168

Land Mapping Unit: Ararat Granites

Australian Soil Classification: Mesotrophic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Grey SODOSOL (confidence level 1).

Photo: Site GL168 Landscape
Site GL168 Landscape.


General Land Unit Description:

This land unit consists of granitic hills and rises around Ararat. Granitic tors are common on the crests and at the break of slope in some areas. Landslips are evident on the steeper slopes. This site is on a long slope off a rocky crest (GL167). Granite rock outcrop is common at the break-of-slope, although it is generally absent on the slope. The soils are deeper than at site GL167, although there is still a deep C horizon present. Soil depth is variable. The C horizon tends to act as a barrier for water penetration. The deeper clay subsoil horizon has an intermittent gleyed appearance that supports this. The prismatic and coarse angular structure of the subsoil is typical of strongly sodic subsoils. The dominant soil type is a Grey Sodosol, often found on the lower slopes, similar to this site. Chromosols are more likely to occur on the crests and steeper slopes. The steeper slopes and rocky crests would have a lower capability of supporting land use due to land and soil limitations.

Site Description:

Slope: 6%
Geology: Ordovician Granite.
Landform pattern: Low Hills.
Position in landscape: Lower slope.
Internal drainage: Well drained.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil


A10-10 cmDark brown (7.5YR3/3); loamy coarse sand; weak medium polyhedral structure; very weak consistence (dry); a few small angular pebbles (2-6 mm); pH 5.4; gradual change to:

Photo: Site GL168 Profile
Site GL168 Profile.
A2110-30cmBrown (7.5YR4/4); loamy coarse sand; massive; weak consistence (dry); pH 5.2; gradual change to:

A2230-40cmBrown (7.5YR5/4); loamy coarse sand; conspicuously bleached (7.5YR7/4); when dry; massive; weak consistence (dry); pH 5.9; clear change to:

Subsoil

B2140-55 cmBrown (10YR4/2); heavy clay; many prominent fine dark red (2.5YR3/6) mottles; strong coarse prismatic; parting to strong very fine angular blocky structure; clay skins common; pH 7.4; clear and wavy change to:

B2255-80 cmWeak red (10R5/3); heavy clay; prominent brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles common; strong coarse prismatic structure; very few fine manganiferous flecks; clay skins common; pH 7.9; sharp change of variable depth to:

C80-180+ cm Weathered granite.

Key Profile Features:
  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B) horizons.
  • Sandy surface (A) horizons.
  • Conspicuously bleached subsurface (A2) horizons.

Soil Profile Characteristics:


pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Strongly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(40-55 cm)
Slightly Alkaline
Low
Strongly Sodic
None1
Deeper Subsoil
(55-80 cm)
Slightly Alkaline
Low
Strongly Sodic
Strong to Complete
1Strong dispersion after remoulding.

GL168 graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC 1:5
Exchangeable
Aluminium mg/kg
Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-10
5.4
4.4
0.08
17
7
1.8
0.42
0.58
0.25
A21
10-30
5.2
4.5
<0.05
25
3.9
0.77
0.31
0.18
0.08
A22
30-40
5.9
5.1
0.07
<10
2.8
0.94
0.54
0.19
0.28
B21
40-55
7.4
6.2
0.16
5.2
7.2
0.94
3.8
B22
55-80
7.9
6.8
0.16
6.1
9.8
0.86
4


Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
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
0-10
12
4
38
38
12
11
A21
10-30
11
4
42
35
12
10
A22
30-40
12
3
36
39
15
10
B21
40-55
39
23
11
18
7
63
B22
55-80
41
19
17
19
11
51

Profile Described By:
Natalie Baxter, Nathan Robinson, Grant Boyle and Mark Imhof (October 2001).
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