Your gateway to a wide range of natural resources information and associated maps

Victorian Resources Online

GL29

Location: Bahgallah

Australian Soil Classification: Melacic, Humic, Aeric PODOSOL (confidence level 3)
General Landscape Description: Dune
Site Description: Crest
Land Unit: Follet Dunes and Plains
Geology: Quaternary aeolian

General Land Unit Description: The majority of this land unit falls south of the Kanawinka fault. This land unit comprises areas with deep sand deposits. The residual landscape is thought to be influenced by the retreat of the Murray Sea which left stranded beach ridges oriented south west–north east. These were subsequently covered by superficial sand sheets in later depositional phases, which formed the landscape seen today.

The major landforms in this land unit are dunes and swales. Podosols and Kurosols or Chromosols are the major soil types found on the dunes and rises. Podosols are soils with a ‘coffee rock’ layer (refer to photograph). The Kurosols or Chromosols tend to have a deep sandy topsoil over the clay. The common soil types on the swales are black cracking clay (Vertosols) or Grey Sodosols. Some Ferric Kurosols or Chromosols can also occur on the swales or lower slopes of the dunes.


Soil pit GL29 auger

Soil Profile Morphology

A10-50 cmVery dark grey (2.5Y3/1); sand; apedal; pH 4.7; changes to:


A250-65 cmDark grey (2.5Y4/1), grey (2.5Y6/1d); sand; single grain structure; pH 5.1; changes to:


Subsoil

B265-75 cmGrey (2.5Y5/1); sand; single grain structure; high organic matter content; pH 4.9; changes to:


Bh75-100 cmBlack (5YR2.5/1); sand; massive structure; pH 5.0.



Key profile features:
  • Sandy profile throughout
  • Deep sandy topsoil
  • Strongly acidic topsoil
  • Strongly acidic subsoil



Soil Profile Characteristics:
-

pH
Salinity
Surface Soil
(A1 horizon)
Very Strongly Acid
Medium
Sodic
None
Subsoil
(65-75 cm)
Very Strongly Acid
High
Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(75 -100 cm)
Strongly Acid
High
Non-Sodic
None


Soil pit GL29 graphs

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)
%
Field Capacity
% w/w
Wilting Point
% w/w
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-50
4.7
3.7
0.20
3.8
2
36
8.1
1.2
0.54
0.24
0.76
45
46
5
7
3.8
4.0
A2
50-65
5.1
4.1
0.14
23
1.8
0.34
0.22
0.14
0.51
49
45
3
3
3.2
2.0
B2
65-75
4.9
4.1
0.24
110
9.1
0.32
0.33
0.21
0.84
47
44
3
4
6.3
2.4
Bh
75-100
5.0
4.1
0.27
180
14
0.8
0.50
0.20
0.04
44
45
2
5
7.6
3.6



Profile Described By: Natalie Baxter and Grant Boyle, 2nd October 2000.
Page top