GRES708

Location: Bairnsdale East

Australian Soil Classification: Melanic, Eutrophic, Red DERMOSOL

Map Unit: Tinamba
Previous Site Name: AL58

General Landscape Description: Gently undulating plain.
Site Description: 4% slope of a relict terrace
Land Use: Pasture
Native Vegetation: Dry valley forest
Geology: Pleistocene alluvial sediments


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A11	0 – 15 cm	Black (10YR2/1); clay loam; strong angular blocky structure (10 mm); hard when dry; gradual change to:	Soil exposure in channel near Hands Road, Lindenow.
A12	15 – 20 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/2); clay loam; weak angular blocky structure (5 mm); hard dry; clear change to:
A2	20 – 40 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/4); clay loam; massive; very hard dry; clear change to:
A3	40 – 70 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/4) with common faint reddish brown mottles; light clay; weak subangular blocky structure (20 mm); very hard dry; gradual change to:
Subsoil
B2	70 – 105 cm	Yellowish red (5YR4/6); medium clay; abundant reddish brown mottles and common black mottles; moderate angular blocky structure (20 mm); very hard dry; gradual change to:
C	105 – 150+ cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/4) with common faint brown mottles; light clay; massive; hard dry.

• Soil sampled by Aldrick et al. (1992) is somewhat atypical as it has a black surface. Normally the Tinamba soils have a dark brown surface similar to that in the above photograph.
• Deep surface soil, but the subsurface sets hard when dry.
• Gradual increase in texture to 105 cm.

	pH	Salinity rating	Sodicity
Surface soil (A11 horizon)	Moderately Acid	Very Low	-
Subsurface soil (A2 horizon)	Slightly Acid	Very Low	-
Subsoil (B horizon)	Slightly Alkaline	Very Low	Sodic

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	EC dS/m	Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Free Fe2O3 % w/w	Exchangeable Cations				Gravel %	Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) %	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) %	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) %	Clay (<0.002 mm) %
							Ca	Mg	K	Na
							meq/100g
A11	0-10	5.7	0.09	3.5	0.35		5.3	1.8	0.8	0.3	7	5	47	22	22
A2	20-30	6.1	0.05	1.6	0.14	1.4	4.7	1.4	0.2	0.2	4	2	53	22	20
A3	40-60	6.8	0.02			1.4	2.5	1.5	0.1	0.2	1	3	57	21	19
B2	70-90	7.2	0.08			2.8	2.6	4.5	0.2	1.1	3	3	45	15	33
C	120-150	7.4	0.10				2.0	3.8	0.1	1.4	0	4	58	15	23

• The surface soil is relatively deep, providing a good environment for plant growth provided the soil is moist.
• The surface soil has a high fine sand content (47%). When cultivated in a dry condition it will become ‘powdery’ and subsequent rainfall may result in surface sealing occurring. Soils such as these rely to a large extent on organic matter for maintaining aggregation. The level of organic carbon measured at the sample site is moderate, with an organic matter estimated at 6%.
• The potassium levels in the soil are high and no response to potassium fertiliser would be expected.

• Although water and root movement may be restricted by the sodic and clayey upper subsoil, the surface soil is sufficiently deep for adequate root growth.