Livingston (Ln)

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Livingston- geo

Area: 28 sq. km (0.2%)

The Balook Block of the South Victorian Uplands was raised, almost without tilting, between fault and monocline systems to the north and south. Some areas near the crest of the uplifted block have escaped deep dissection and remain as plateaux. These occur along the southern edge of the survey area and are mapped as Livingston land system. The slopes of the plateaux are gentle but as dissection is intense with shallow incision, the local terrain consists of steep-sided, low hills. The bedrock is composed of Cretaceous mudstones, siltstones and sandstones as for the adjacent Gunyah and Jeeralang land systems.

A humid climate acting on predominantly fine-textured sedimentary rock has produced deep, acidic, clayey soils. As with Gunyah and Jeeralang land systems these soils also tend to have higher nutrient status than most soils on sedimentary rock in the survey area.

The native vegetation is mainly E. regnans layered open forest III.

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Livingston- image

The low steep hills are produced by intense shallow dissection of the remnant plateau surface. The deeply dissected surrounding terrain is mapped in Gunyah and Jeeralang land systems.

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (°C) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 900 - 1600; lowest January (60 - 90), highest August or October (120 - 150) Annual 8 - 12; lowest July (3 - 7), highest February (16 - 20) Temperature <10°C (av.): May - September Rainfall < potential evapotranspiration: December - February; occasional winter snow
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Cretaceous mudstones, siltstones and sandstones of the Strzelecki Group
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Low steep hills with approximately accordant crests produced by intense shallow dissection 360 - 580 40 - 140 Dendritic 1.9
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly uncleared: hardwood forestry (mainly ash timber); apiculture Minor proportion cleared: grazed mainly by beef and dairy cattle on improved pastures; softwood plantations

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Livingston- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Livingston- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 90 Short steep slopes	2 10 Undissected plateau remnants with gentle slopes
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slope %, typical and (range) Slope shape	35 - 45, (30 - 60) Straight	10 - 15, (0 - 30) Convex
SOIL
Parent material	Mudstone, siltstone and sandstone
Description	Very dark greyish brown or black clay loam grading into brown or yellowish brown blocky light or medium clay; moderately to strongly acidic, usually deep
Classification	Brown Earths Uf6.31, Uf6.12, Gn4.31, Gn4.71, Gn4.81
Surface texture	Clay loam
Surface consistence	Hard when dry, firm when moist
Depth (m)	Generally>1.5
Nutrient status	Low to moderate
Available soil water capacity	Moderate to high
Perviousness to water	Moderate
Drainage	Moderately good to good
Exposed stone (%)	0
Sampled profile number	-	15
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Predominantly layered open forest III of E. regnans; occasionally open forest II, III, often shrubby, of E. obliqua on gentle slopes. Alsophila australis and Dicksonia antarctica common in gullies

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality — reduction in density of tree roots	Reduced transpiration, resulting in: a) increased deep percolation b) increased regolith wetness Decreased root-binding	Nutrient loss Landslip Landslip	Not determined 1; moderate 2; low 1; moderate 2; low	Not determined Not determined Not determined	Removal of trees Accelerated by major disturbance of native vegetation Accelerated by major disturbance of native vegetation	Increased movement of water to groundwater; increased base-flow of streams Increased sediment load Increased sediment load
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion	1; moderate 2; low	Not determined	Clearing, logging, burning, overgrazing, road and dam building and other earth-moving activities, trafficking by stock and vehicles.	Increased flash flows and sediment load.
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With Reduced infiltration	Structure decline Sheet and rill erosion	1,2; high 1; moderate 2; low	Not determined Not determined	Increased trafficking, cultivation, overgrazing, export of organic matter As for sheet and rill erosion above	- Increased flash flows
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully erosion	1; moderate 2; low	Not determined	As for sheet and rill erosion above	Increased sediment load.
Comments: No observations of deterioration. Regeneration of vegetative cover is quite rapid because of good growing conditions

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