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

Victorian Resources Online

SFS15

Location: Hamilton

Australian Soil Classification: Ferric-Sodic, Eutrophic, Brown CHROMOSOL

Northcote Factual Key: DY3.22
Great Soil Group: Possibly brown podzolic.
Soil Mapping Unit: Monivae gravelly loam (slope phase) (Martin and Maher 19).
Land Unit: Monivae Basalt

General Landscape Description: Relatively elevated position in a level to gently undulating basalt plain.
Site Description: Simple slope with moderate gilgai: mounds 2-4 metre intervals with a relative relief of 100 mm or less. Sides and rear of the pit show gilgai depression.
Land Use: Pasture.
Geology: Tertiary/Quaternary basalt.

Image:  SFS15 landscape
SFS15 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1 (Ap)0-20 cmVery dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); fine sandy clay loam; weak to moderate fine to medium sub-angular blocky to polyhedral structure; firm consistence dry; pH 5.3; clear change to:

Image:  SFS15 profile SFS15 Profile
A2c20-35 cmDark brown (10YR3/3) [mound - greyish brown (10YR5/2d), depression - light greyish brown (10YR6/2d)] conspicuously bleached; gravelly loam; very high (>80%) hard magnetic ferro-manganiferous concretions (3-10 mm) mostly magnetic, irregular rounded or sub-rounded (pitted); pH 5.6; clear change to:

NOTE: In the depression there is a smooth and wavy boundary up to 50 cm in depth.
Subsoil

B21t
35-100 cmYellowish brown (10YR5/4) with fine yellowish brown (10YR5/8) and brown (10YR4/3) mottles; light medium clay; fine buckshot (>10%); pH 6.6; clear change to:

B22tss100+ cmGrey (N6) with fine brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles; light olive brown (2.5Y5/3) with yellowish brown (10YR5/8) mottles; medium heavy to heavy clay; no buckshot; horizon cracked to base of pit and fissure traceable through B21 above; stress cutans (slickensides); pH 6.6.

Photo: SFS15 Puff and Hollow Puff and Hollow colours.
Photo: SFS 15 Subsoil Mottling
Subsoil Mottling.


Key Profile Features:

  • Lateral variation in the soil profile features association with gilgai microrelief.
  • Strong texture contrast between the surface (A) horizons and the subsoil (B21) horizon.
  • Ferruginous nodules (‘buckshot’) in subsurface (A2) horizon.

Soil Profile Characteristics:


pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Strongly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(at 100+cm)
Slightly Acid
Low
Sodic
None

Image: SFS15 graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC
1:5
NaCl
%
Organic Carbon
%
Nitrogen
%
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-20
5.3
4.7
0.17
3.3
0.3
4.5
2.0
0.22
0.45
A2
20-35
5.6
5.0
0.14
3.1
1.6
0.11
0.27
B21 (upper)
40-60
6.6
6.0
0.20
8.1
9.4
0.25
1.4
B21 (lower)
60-80
6.7
6.1
0.18
6.5
9.1
0.23
1.7
B22
100-110
6.6
6.0
0.27
0.03
6.5
12
0.1
2.7


Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
Exchangeable
Aluminium mg/kg
Exchangeable Acidity
meq/100g
Field Capacity
pF2.5
Wilting Point
pF4.2
Coarse Sand
(0.2- 2.0 mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02- 0.2 mm)
Silt
(0.002- 0.02 mm)
Clay
(<0.002 mm)
A1
0-20
13
15
34.3
12.9
7
39
26
20
A2
20-35
<10
9.6
28
10
20
34
22
21
B21 (upper)
40-60
14
50
33
2
8
7
81
B21 (lower)
60-80
14
49
31
3
9
7
78
B22
100-110
<5
13
3
9
12
73

Management Considerations:

Whole Profile
Notes

The level to gently undulating basalt plains between Branxholm and Glenthompson consist of an association of Vertic or Ferric Brown Chromosols and Ferric Brown Sodosols. The Chromosols typically occur on the upper slopes and crests of very slight rises that may have scattered surface boulders, and Sodosols on the lower slopes and depressions. Sodosols or Vertosols, occasionally with a sporadic bleached subsurface horizon, are usually found in open depressions or drainage lines.

Profile Described By: Richard MacEwan (December 1999).
Page top