Site GL168

Land Mapping Unit: Ararat Granites

Australian Soil Classification: Mesotrophic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Grey SODOSOL (confidence level 1).

Site GL168 Landscape.

General Land Unit Description:

This land unit consists of granitic hills and rises around Ararat. Granitic tors are common on the crests and at the break of slope in some areas. Landslips are evident on the steeper slopes. This site is on a long slope off a rocky crest (GL167). Granite rock outcrop is common at the break-of-slope, although it is generally absent on the slope. The soils are deeper than at site GL167, although there is still a deep C horizon present. Soil depth is variable. The C horizon tends to act as a barrier for water penetration. The deeper clay subsoil horizon has an intermittent gleyed appearance that supports this. The prismatic and coarse angular structure of the subsoil is typical of strongly sodic subsoils. The dominant soil type is a Grey Sodosol, often found on the lower slopes, similar to this site. Chromosols are more likely to occur on the crests and steeper slopes. The steeper slopes and rocky crests would have a lower capability of supporting land use due to land and soil limitations.

Site Description:

Slope: 6%
Geology: Ordovician Granite.
Landform pattern: Low Hills.
Position in landscape: Lower slope.
Internal drainage: Well drained.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/3); loamy coarse sand; weak medium polyhedral structure; very weak consistence (dry); a few small angular pebbles (2-6 mm); pH 5.4; gradual change to:	Site GL168 Profile.
A21	10-30cm	Brown (7.5YR4/4); loamy coarse sand; massive; weak consistence (dry); pH 5.2; gradual change to:
A22	30-40cm	Brown (7.5YR5/4); loamy coarse sand; conspicuously bleached (7.5YR7/4); when dry; massive; weak consistence (dry); pH 5.9; clear change to:
Subsoil
B21	40-55 cm	Brown (10YR4/2); heavy clay; many prominent fine dark red (2.5YR3/6) mottles; strong coarse prismatic; parting to strong very fine angular blocky structure; clay skins common; pH 7.4; clear and wavy change to:
B22	55-80 cm	Weak red (10R5/3); heavy clay; prominent brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles common; strong coarse prismatic structure; very few fine manganiferous flecks; clay skins common; pH 7.9; sharp change of variable depth to:
C	80-180+ cm	Weathered granite.

• Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B) horizons.
• Sandy surface (A) horizons.
• Conspicuously bleached subsurface (A2) horizons.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl2)	EC 1:5	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g	Exchangeable Cations
							Ca	Mg	K	Na
							meq/100g
A1	0-10	5.4	4.4	0.08	17	7	1.8	0.42	0.58	0.25
A21	10-30	5.2	4.5	<0.05	25	3.9	0.77	0.31	0.18	0.08
A22	30-40	5.9	5.1	0.07	<10	2.8	0.94	0.54	0.19	0.28
B21	40-55	7.4	6.2	0.16			5.2	7.2	0.94	3.8
B22	55-80	7.9	6.8	0.16			6.1	9.8	0.86	4