Vertosols (Australian Soil Classification) are clay soils that display shrinking and swelling during wetting and drying cycles. They exhibit strong cracking when dry and at depth have slickensides and/or lenticular peds.
Vertosols in the West Gippsland Region |
This overview map of Vertosols in the West Gippsland region has been developed from more detailed regional soil/landform mapping (Sargeant and Imhof, In press). It shows areas where Vertosols are most likely to occur within the region and should only be used as a general indication of their distribution. Note that other soil types may also occur within these mapped areas. |
Black Vertosol on the Jack River flats. |
Vertosols are usually associated with floodplains in the Tarwin and La Trobe valleys. They can also occur in inter-dune swales in the Wonthaggi region. |