PVI 4

Site: PVI 4	Land Unit: Monivae Basalt
*Aust. Soil Class.:* Endocalcareous, Epipedal, Grey VERTOSOL (non-gravelly surface) (confidence level 1)

General Land Unit Description:
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.

Site Description:

Geology: Quaternary basalt	Landform pattern: Level to gently undulating plain
Position in landscape: Low lying area below rise	Internal drainage: Moderately well drained

Soil Profile Morphology

A1	0-15 cm	Dark grey (10YR4/1), light medium clay, moderate coarse blocky structure, very strong consistence (dry), rusty root channel mottling, surface cracks, pH 5.7. Transition to:
	Subsoil
B21	15-80 cm	Dark grey (10YR4/1), heavy clay, weak to moderate very coarse prismatic, parting to moderate coarse lenticular structure, very strong consistence (moist), pH 7.4. Tansition to:
B22	80-110 cm	Greyish brown (2.5Y5/2) with olive yellow (2.5Y6/6) mottles, heavy clay, lenticular structure, very firm consistence (moist), very few (2%) soft carbonate nodules fine, pH 8.8. Transition to:
B23	110+ cm	Greyish brown (2.5Y5/2), heavy clay, lenticular structure, very firm consistence (moist), pH 8.6.

Key Profile Features

Clay texture throughout soil profile
Surface cracking - evident in drier seasons
Prominent vertic (cracking) features in subsoil (i.e. lenticular peds)

Soil Profile Characteristics

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface soil (A1 horizon)	Moderately Acid	Low	Non-Sodic	None¹
Upper subsoil (15-80 cm)	Slightly Alkaline	Low	Sodic	Strong
Deeper subsoil (at 110+ cm)	Strongly Alkaline	Medium-High	Sodic	Strong

¹strong dispersion after remoulding

Soil pit PVI 4 graphs

Horizon	Horizon Depth	pH (water)	pH CaCl2	EC dS/m	NaCl %	Exchangeable Cations				Ex Al mg/kg	Ex Ac meq/100g	Field pF2.5	Wilting Point pF4.2	Coarse Sand (0.02-0.2mm)	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2mm)	Silt (0.02-0.02mm)	Clay (<0.002mm)
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						meq/100g
A1	0-15	5.7	4.2	0.06		6.9	6.3	0.24	0.71	18	16	44.1	24.4	1.6	31.1	24.0	37.0
B21	15-80	7.4	5.8	0.06		9.6	12	0.34	2.1			42	21.0	0.8	29.6	20.0	46.0
B22	80-110	8.8	7.7	0.27	0.03	9.0	14	0.3	4.0			45	22.6	0.6	28.0	24.5	46.0
B23	110+	8.6	8.1	0.84	0.13

Page top