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LSWW03

WLRA - soil pit WW3- landscape
Limestone rises near Servicetown


    Location

North of Servicetown, western Victoria

    Landform

Rise

    Geology

Quaternary Woorinen Formation:
aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay

    Element

Hillcrest

Horizon
Depth (cm)
Description
A1
0–10
Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); fine sandy clay loam; massive (structureless); very firm consistence when dry; pH 7.9; clear boundary to:
WLRA - soil pit WW3- profile
Haplic, Hypercalcic, Red CHROMOSOL
B21
10–25
Dark red (2.5YR4/8); medium clay; moderate to strong coarse blocky structure; smooth ped fabric; strong consistence when dry; pH 8.3; clear transition to:
B22
25–35
Brown (7.5YR5/4); light medium clay; moderate medium polyhedral, parting to fine polyhedral structure; few hard calcareous nodules and many (30%) soft calcareous segregations; pH 8.6; clear boundary to:
B23k
35–110
Light clay; abundant (>50%) soft to semi hard calcareous segregations with few hard calcareous/silica nodules; pH 9.1; clear and irregular boundary to:
B24
110–200+
Very pale brown (10YR7/3) with many coarse to very coarse distinct reddish yellow mottles; medium clay; strong coarse polyhedral, parting to medium polyhedral structure; smooth ped-fabric; manganese flecks on ped-faces and vertical cracks; pH 9.8.

Note: Within this horizon there are tongues of soft carbonate with hard silica/ calcareous nodules of a coarse sandy clay texture.

Management Considerations

  • Texture contrast soil, if gradational then a Calcarosol.
  • Thick carbonate horizon.
  • Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be low (estimated at 91 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 35 cm. Rooting depth will be restricted by subsoil conditions, very high carbonate (lime) content (not applicable to all plant species) or hard rock.
  • Clay concentration in upper subsoil (B21) with strong structure. Carbonate rich soil does not have definable structure.
  • Soil is non-dispersive throughout, therefore the profile is reasonably well drained, although there is evidence (manganese flecks) of impeded drainage or perched watertable at depth.
  • Strongly sodic in deep subsoil.
  • Hillcrest, well drained site drainage.

Horizon
Depth (cm)
pH (water)
pH (CaCl2)
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%
Exchangeable Cations
cmol-/kg
Wilting Point
(pF4.2)
Coarse Sand
%
Fine Sand
%
Silt
%
Clay
%
Ca
Mg
K
Na
A1
0–10
7.9
7.4
0.21
10
0.6
1.4
0.1
8.1
27.9
44.5
6
17
B21
10–25
8.3
7.7
0.11
23
1.7
1
0.2
17.6
16.5
32.6
3.5
39.5
B22
25–35
8.6
7.9
0.12
19
1.6
0.5
0.2
18.5
11.7
18.6
2.5
29
B23k
35–110
9.1
8.1
0.11
B24
110–200+
9.8
9
0.42
<0.05
3.9
13
1.4
8.5
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