MM539

Site: MM539	Land Unit: Woolsthorpe Basalt
*Aust. Soil Class.:* Ferric, ?, Brown CHROMOSOL (Confidence level 4)

General Land Unit Description:
This site covers a large area of level to gently undulating plains in the south east of the study area. The plains have been dissected with drainage lines. The soils on the plains are mainly Ferric Brown Chromosols. These soils have strongly developed hardsetting surface horizons over mottled clay subsoils that are brown or yellow-grey. They typically have an A2 horizon that is sporadically bleached and often have abundant levels of ferruginous nodules above the clay. This indicates intermittent waterlogging. These soils may be found in association with Ferric Sodosols. The soils of the numerous drainage depressions dissecting the plains tend to be Black Chromosols, Sodosols or Vertosols.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary basalt	Landform pattern: Level to gently undulating plains
Position in landscape: Broad crst	Internal drainage: Imperfectly drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-20 cm	Very dark greyish brown to dark brown clay loam (less commonly fine sandy clay loam or silty clay loam), structure-less, immediate surface may have weak structure under perrenial pasture. Transition to:
A2	20-40 cm	Dark brown clay loam (less commonly fine sandy clay loam or silty clay loam), sporadically bleached light grey when dry, structure-less, ferromanganiferous nodules concentrated in lower portion of this profile. Transition to:
	Subsoil
B2	40+ cm	Greyish brown to yellowish brown medium or heavy clay, red and/or bright yellow mottles, moderate to strong medium or coarse blocky structure that tends to break down to smaller blocky units when disturbed, varying amounts of gravel or rock fragments may be present.

Key profile features:

Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil
Bleached A2 horizon
Mottled subsoil
Ferromanganiferious nodules are abundant in A2 horizon

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