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LSWW12

WLRA - soil pit WW12- landscape
Hillslope of gentle rise near Minimay

    Site Code
LSWW12
WLRA - soil pit WW12- profile
Vertic (and Calcic), Subnatric, Grey SODOSOL

    Location

West of Booroopki Swamp, western Victoria

    Landform

Rise

    Geology

Quaternary Lowan Formation:
aeolian fine to medium grained dune sand

    Element

Hillslope
Horizon
Depth (cm)
Description

A1

0–15

Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2);
sandy loam; massive (structureless), structure increases to weak coarse blocky structure where roots penetrate; weak consistence when dry; pH 6.3; sharp and wavy boundary to:

A2

15–20

Pale brown (10YR6/3); conspicuously bleached;
loamy sand; strong consistence when dry; occurs as capping on top of columnar domes of B21; pH 6.7; sharp and wavy boundary to:

B21

20–40

Brown (7.5YR5/2) with many very coarse distinct red mottles;
medium heavy clay; strong very coarse columnar, parting to weak very coarse blocky structure; dispersive when worked; pH 7.5; gradual boundary to:

B22

40–60

Yellowish red (5YR5/8);
medium heavy clay; moderate coarse blocky structure; completely dispersive; pH 8.8:

B23

60–90

Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4);
medium clay; common soft calcareous segregations; pH 9.4:

B24k

90–130

Very pale brown (10YR7/3);
light clay, sandy; moderate medium polyhedral, parting to fine polyhedral structure; many soft calcium carbonate segregations and few hard carbonate/silica nodules (5-15 mm in size); pH 9.5:

B25

130–170+

Light grey (2.5Y7/2);
medium clay; moderate to strong lenticular structure; few slickensides; smooth ped fabric with sand along ped faces; pH 9.5.

Management Considerations

  • Sandy and hydrophobic topsoil. Shallow depth of topsoil, susceptibility to wind, sheet and rill erosion.
  • Strong texture contrast between the topsoil and subsoil. Thin hard setting bleached capping (A2) forming domes on top of large columns, restricts water and gas movement.
  • Subsurface soil is neutral but has few nutrients available.
  • Alkaline and sodic subsoil, saline at depth. Columnar subsoil structure. Subsoil mottling.
  • Top of the subsoil is dispersive following cultivation when wet.
  • Plant Available Water Capacity (PAWC) is considered to be very low (estimated at 40 mm) for this site profile based on an Effective Rooting Depth (ERD) of 20 cm. Rooting depth will be restricted by subsoil conditions, such as; strongly sodic (Exchangeable Sodium Percentage >20%), high soluble salt levels (Chloride >0.1%), poor structure (eg. massive or very coarse, columnar or prismatic), very high carbonate (lime) content (not applicable to all plant species) or hard rock.
  • Vertic properties (ie. lenticular structure) in the deeper subsoil.
  • Gentle hillslope, moderately well site drainage.

Horizon
Depth (cm)
pH (water)
pH (CaCl2)
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%
Exchangeable Cations
cmol-/kg
Wilting Point
(pF 4.2)
Coarse Sand
%
Fine Sand
%
Silt
%
Clay
%
Ca
Mg
K
Na
A1
0–15
6.3
6
0.21
3.1
1.1
0.6
0.3
9.6
33.7
38.4
8.5
11.5
A2
15–20
6.7
5.9
<0.05
1.3
0.4
0.2
0.1
2.2
36.8
44.6
10
7.5
B21
20–40
7.5
6.6
0.13
10
11
1.5
2
23.0
14.6
22.5
5.5
50.5
B22
40–60
8.8
7.8
0.22
10
15
1.5
4.9
25.3
13.7
18
6
54.5
B23
60–90
9.4
8.8
0.67
0.1
B24k
90–130
9.5
8.8
0.86
0.14
B25
130–170+
9.5
8.9
1.1
0.2
5.3
14
1
9.3
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