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GL48

Location: Nelson

Australian Soil Classification: Calcareous, Petrocalcic, Orthic TENOSOL (confidence level 1)
General Landscape Description: Undulating plain
Site Description: Crest of dune
Land Unit: Nelson Dunes and Plains
Geology: Quaternary limestone

General Land Unit Description: This land unit occurs in the south western corner of the region. The land unit is generally composed of siliceous sand dunes and plains over calcareous material. The partly consolidated calcareous deposits were formed in an arcuate band (north west / south east trending) formed by the retreat of the Murray Sea. The siliceous dune and sand sheet material is generally of aeolian origin. Although there is a large area of this land unit in the south west of the study area, there are also some isolated patches mainly mixed amongst the Follet land unit, that could not be mapped due to restrictions of scale. This site is an example of this.

The sand varies from orange (GL48), to red (GL39) to a paler colour, represented by this soil type. The orange and red sands are usually associated with the calcareous material, whereas the paler sands tend to have less carbonate (e.g. GL51, GL38) or the calcareous material is greater than 2 metres deep (e.g. GL50). Another soil variant occurs on the swales in between the dunes. This soil tends to have a heavier textured subsoil which may or may not have calcareous material underneath.


Soil pit GL48 auger


Soil Profile Morphology

A0-15 cmDark brown (10YR3/3) sand, apedal single grain, pH 7.6; gradual transition to:


Subsoil


B15-40 cmStrong brown (7.5YR4/6) sand, apedal single grain, pH 6.7; abrupt transition to:


C140+ cmLimestone


Key profile features:
  • Deep sandy profile
  • Limestone at depth



Soil Profile Characteristics:
-

pH
Salinity
Surface Soil
(A horizon)
Slightly Alkaline
Medium
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(15-25 cm)
Slightly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None


Soil pit GL48 graphs

Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl
2)
EC
dS/m
Organic Carbon
%
Total
Nitrogen
%
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
A
0-15
7.6
7.2
0.12
0.96
0.06
8.1
0.42
0.22
0.06
26
66
1
4
5.8
3.5
B
15-40
6.7
6.2
0.05
3.3
1.8
0.55
0.17
0.05
23
68
1
6
4.5
3.0



Profile Described By: Natalie Baxter and Grant Boyle, 3rd October 2000.
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