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GHF11c

Location: Macarthur

Australian Soil Classification: Melacic, Mesotrophic, Brown CHROMOSOL (thick surface horizons)
General Landscape Description: Level plain
Site Description: South facing gentle slope (1%)
Land Unit: Warrakbook Basalts
Geology: Quaternary basalt

General Land Unit Description: This land unit consists of gently undulating basalt plains in the Macarthur area. In some drainage lines, the basalt has been dissected sufficiently to expose the underlying sediments. The soils on the basalt plains are commonly Brown Kurosols or Chormosols, intermixed with Sodosols, particularly on the lower slopes and drainage depressions. This site has two year old Eucalyptus globulus in a plantation on ex-agricultural land.


Soil pit Man98 1-4 landscape


Soil Profile Morphology

Surface

A110-15 cmVery dark brown (10YR2/2) loamy sand, weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm), very weak consistence when moist, many medium roots. Clear and smooth transition to:


Soil pit Man98 3 proifle
A1215-35 cmVery dark brown (10YR2/2) with many coarse dark faint yellowish brown (10YR4/4) mottles, sandy loam, weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm), very weak consistence when wet, many very fine macropores, areal porosity 1.0 %, common fine roots. Clear and smooth transition to:


A235-45 cmVery dark brown (10YR2/2) with many coarse dark faint yellowish brown (10YR4/4) mottles, sandy clay loam, weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm), very weak consistence when wet, many very fine macropores, areal porosity 1.0%, common very fine roots. Clear and smooth transition to:
Subsoil


B145-55 cmDark brown (10YR4/3) with many coarse faint dark yellowish brown (10YR4/8) mottles sandy clay, unable to assess structure, consistence or macroporosity due to very many segregations present, very many coarse ferruginous nodules, few very fine roots. Abrupt and smooth transition to:


B2155-80 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/6) with many coarse distinct yellowish red (5YR4/6) mottles, light medium clay, moderate polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to moderate polyhedral structure (10-20 mm), weak consistence when moist, few medium ferruginous nodules, common very fine macropores, areal porosity 0.1%, few very fine roots. Gradual and smooth transition to:


B2280-110 cmBrownish yellow (10YR6/6) with many coarse distinct yellowish red (5YR4/6) mottles light medium clay, strong subangular blocky structure (10-20 mm) parting to moderate polyhedral structure (5-10 mm), weak consistence when moist, very few medium ferruginous nodules, few very fine macropores, areal porosity 0.01%, few very fine roots. Gradual and smooth transition to:


B23110-150 cmVery pale brown (10YR7/3) with many coarse prominent yellowish red (5YR4/8) mottles, medium clay, strong lenticular structure (20-50 mm) parting to strong polyhedral structure (10-20 mm), weak consistence when moist, very few medium ferruginous nodules, few very fine macropores, areal porosity 0.02%, few very fine roots.


150-260 cmSimilar to above.


260-420 cmGrey heavy clay with red mottles, weaker structure, ironstone present, weathering rock, live roots observed to 300 cm, remnant roots observed to 400 cm, no impeding layer to root growth.


Soil Profile Characteristics:
-

pH
Salinity
Surface Soil
(A1 horizon)
Very Strongly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 Horizon)
Slightly Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(80-110 cm)
Moderately Acid
Very Low
Non-Sodic
None




Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl
2)
EC
dS/m
Organic Carbon
%
Total
Nitrogen
%
Exchangeable Aluminium
ppm
Exchangeable Acididty
meq/100g
Exchangeable Cations
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
0-15
4.6
4.0
0.06
2.3
0.2
87
14
1.1
0.33
0.06
0.10
59
24
5
8
A12
15-35
5.3
4.6
<0.05
33
8.7
1.9
0.92
0.07
0.08
51
24
5
18
A2
35-45
5.4
4.8
0.05
18
9.1
2.0
1.3
0.07
0.11
47
23
5
23
B1
45-55
5.8
5.2
0.06
<10
8.8
2.3
2.4
0.07
0.17
40
21
6
32
B21
55-80
6.1
6.0
0.08
<10
8.9
2.5
5.3
0.10
0.48
16
10
3
70
B22
80-110
5.9
5.8
0.11
<10
9.6
2.2
6.1
0.10
0.77
B23
110-150
5.8
5.7
0.11
1.0
0.33
<0.05
<0.05

Profile Described By: Ian Sargeant, Paul Feikema, Martin Clark and Kiet Quach, 30th October 2000
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