Location: Heyfield. | Australian Soil Classification: Sodic, Eutrophic, Red DERMOSOL. |
Geology: Quaternary alluvial prior stream deposits. | General Landscape Description: Level plain with prior stream activity. |
Mapping Unit: Tinamba. | Site Description: Dairy grazing paddock. |
Site GP36 Landscape |
A1 | 0-5 cm | Dark yellowish brown (10YR4/4); silty clay loam; moderate medium polyhedral, parting to weak fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; pH 6.5; clear change to: | Site GP36 Profile |
A2 | 5-20 cm | Brown (10YR5/3) sporadically bleached (10YR7/3d) with strong brown (7.5YR5/6) mottles; silty clay loam; structureless; very strong consistence dry; pH 6.9; clear and wavy change to: | |
Subsoil | |||
B1 | 20-30 cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/8); silty clay loam; weakly structured; strong to very strong consistence dry; pH 7.6; gradual change to: | |
B21 | 30-50 cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/8) silty clay; weakly structured; firm consistence moist; pH 7.7; clear change to: | |
B22 | 50-90 cm | Red (2.5YR5/8); organic stains on ped faces; medium clay; moderate coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse blocky, parting to moderate blocky structure; shiny faced peds [organic staining on ped faces]; strong consistence dry; pH 7.8; gradual change to: | |
B23 | 90+ cm | Red (2.5YR5/8); light medium clay; strong coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse to medium polyhedral structure; shiny faced peds; contains a few (10%) manganese flecks and some fine mica, as well as pockets of reddish yellow (5YR6/6) fine sand; pH 8.0. |
Horizon | pH | Salinity Rating | ||
Surface (A1 horizon) | Slightly Acid | Low | Sodic | None1 |
Subsoil (B21 horizon) | Slightly Alkaline | Very Low | Strongly Sodic | Slight2 |
Deeper subsoil (at 1 m) | Moderately Alkaline | Low | Strongly Sodic | Strong |
The surface soil is slightly acid. The subsoil is slightly alkaline, becoming moderately alkaline at 1 m. | The surface soil is sodic. The subsoil is strongly sodic. | ||
The level of soluble salts is low throughout the soil profile. | The clay content gradually increases with depth. |
Horizon | Horizon Depth (cm) | pH (water) | pH (CaCl2) | EC 1:5 | Exchangeable Cations | |||
Ca | Mg | K | Na | |||||
meq/100g | ||||||||
A1 | 0-5 | 6.5 | 5.7 | 0.13 | 7.9 | 3.3 | 0.22 | 1.2 |
A2 | 5-20 | 6.9 | 5.8 | 0.08 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.87 |
B1 | 20-30 | 7.6 | 6.3 | 0.07 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
B21 | 30-50 | 7.7 | 6.3 | 0.07 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.2 |
B22 | 50-90 | 7.8 | 6.3 | 0.08 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
B23 | 90+ | 8 | 6.7 | 0.11 | 2.6 | 4.7 | 0.2 | 2.2 |
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) |
A1 | 0-5 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 39 | 27 |
A2 | 5-20 | 11 | 1 | 26 | 44 | 28 |
B1 | 20-30 | 9 | 1 | 26 | 43 | 29 |
B21 | 30-50 | 11 | 1 | 24 | 43 | 32 |
B22 | 50-90 | 17 | 1 | 14 | 29 | 55 |
B23 | 90+ | 18 | 0 | 13 | 35 | 51 |