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 Profile Morphology

Surface

A11	0-15 cm	Very 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:
A12	15-35 cm	Very 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:
A2	35-45 cm	Very 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
B1	45-55 cm	Dark 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:
B21	55-80 cm	Yellowish 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:
B22	80-110 cm	Brownish 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:
B23	110-150 cm	Very 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 cm	Similar to above.
	260-420 cm	Grey 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.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl2)	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