HET99 (Plot 3)

Site: HET99 (Plot 3)	Land Unit: Strathdownie
*Aust. Soil Class.:*

General Land Unit Description:

This land unit comprises the Quaternary lacustrine geology south of the Glenelg River. The lacustrine deposits include lagoonal, swamp and local colluvial deposits formed in low-lying wetlands and depressions between stranded beach ridges. Parent material in this land unit comprises of sand, silt, sandy clay, peat, marl and freshwater limestone, occurring in relatively unconsolidated forms.

The soils are variable throughout this land unit due to varying depositional environments. A common soil type is a strong texture contrast soil (Chromosol, Sodosol) commonly with a bleached A2 horizon and a mottled subsoil indicative of impeded internal drainage). The sandy topsoil can be very deep in some soils. Vertosols are also common on the plains and swales in between the dunes. Podosols occur on the flats as well as on the dunes and that may have been mapped as part of this land unit due to restrictions of scale. Many of the soils are poorly drained and exhibit signs of a perched watertable.

1.5 year old

E. globulus

plantation on ex-agricultural land. As second pit was dug across a row of trees nearby, and revealed that the pan was not broken by the ripper, and no roots were observed below the pan.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary lacustrine	Landform pattern: Level plain
Position in landscape: Flat	Internal drainage: Poorly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-15 cm	Very dark brown (10YR2/2) loamy sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when moist; many medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A2	15-45 cm	Reddish brown (5YR5/4) sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when wet; common medium roots; sharp and smooth transition to:
	Subsoil
B1	45-50 cm	Greyish brown (10YR5/2), sandy clay; weak polyhedral structure (20-50 mm); firm consistence when wet; common very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.1%; few very fine roots; gradual and smooth transition to:
B21	50-90 cm	Light grey (10YR7/2) with many very coarse distinct brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles, medium clay; moderate polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to moderate subangular blocky structure (10-20 mm); firm consistence when moist; very many coarse ferruginous nodules; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.05%; few very fine roots; gradual and smooth transition to:
B22	90-120 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) with many very coarse distinct light grey (10YR7/2) and yellowish red (5YR5/6) mottles, heavy clay (with sand veins along cracks; weak polyhedral structure (20-50 mm); firm consistence when moist; common very coarse ferruginous and calcareous nodules; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.05%; few very fine roots; gradual and smooth transition to:
B23	120-150 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/8) with many very coarse prominent light grey (10YR7/1) mottles, sandy clay (with sand veins along cracks); weak polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to weak polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); firm consistence when moist; few coarse ferruginous nodules; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.02%; few very fine roots.
	150-340 cm	Bands of sandy clay and heavy clay with sand to 340 cm, impeding layer to backhoe at 340 cm, it appear that toots can make their way through the hard layer at 340 cm, free water entering pit at 15 cm and at 320 cm.

Sampled by: Ian Sargeant, Paul Feikema, Martin Clark and Kiet Quach (2 November, 2000).

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