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.

SFS15 Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1 (Ap)	0-20 cm	Very 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:	SFS15 Profile
A2c	20-35 cm	Dark 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 cm	Yellowish 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:
B22tss	100+ cm	Grey (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.

Puff and Hollow colours.

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.

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

• Plant available water capacity (PAWC) is considered to be medium (estimated at 110 mm) in the upper 100 cm of this soil profile.