Location: Grassmere
Australian Soil Classification: Melanic-Vertic, Eutrophic, Black DERMOSOL/Vertic Sodosol
Northcote Factual Key: Gn 3.42
Great Soil Group: Chernozem
General Landscape Description: Rolling hills
Site Description: Upper slope (10%) of a rolling hill.
Land Unit:
Geology: Quaternary volcanic ash deposits (Qvs), overlying Tertiary Port Campbell Limestone (Tmc).
Site SW10 Landscape |
A1 | 0-20 cm | Very dark brown (7.5YR2/2) heavy clay loam; moderate coarse blocky, parting to moderate medium blocky structure; weak consistence moderately moist; pH 6.1; clear to gradual change to: | Site SW10 Profile |
Subsoil | |||
B21 | 20-40 cm | Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2) light medium clay; strong medium polyhedral, parting to strong fine polyhedral structure (shiny faced peds); firm consistence moist; contains very few (2%) limestone fragments (10 mm size); pH 6.0; gradual change to: | |
B22 | 40-60 cm | Dark brown (7.5YR3/2) medium clay; strong medium polyhedral, parting to strong fine polyhedral structure; firm consistence moist; pH 6.6; wavy change to: | |
B23 | 60-120 cm | Dark brown (7.5YR3/2) with yellowish brown (10YR5/4) mottles; light clay; moderate medium polyhedral, parting to moderate fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence moderately moist; contains many (40%) ferruginous nodules (5-15 mm); variable yellowish brown (10YR5/4) weathered ash layer ('wombat rock'); pH 6.9; clear change to: | |
B3 | 120-150 cm | Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) medium clay; strong fine lenticular, parting to strong very fine lenticular structure; weak consistence moderately moist; pH 7.1; abrupt change to: | |
C | 150 cm+ | Limestone. |
- | pH | Salinity | |
Surface Soil (A1 horizon) | Slightly Acid | Medium | Non-Sodic |
Subsoil (20-40 cm) | Moderately Acid | Medium | Non-Sodic |
Deeper Subsoil (120-150 cm) | Slightly Alkaline | Low | Sodic |
The surface soil is slightly acid. The upper subsoil is moderately acid and the deeper subsoil becomes slightly acid. | The salinity rating is medium in the surface and upper subsoil and low in the deeper subsoil. | The surface is non-sodic becoming sodic at 40 cm depth. | The clay percentage increases gradually with depth in the upper part of the soil profile. In the deep subsoil the clay percentage increases sharply at the junction of an older land surface at 120 cm depth. |
Horizon | Horizon Depth (cm) | pH (water) | pH (CaCl2) | EC dS/m | NaCl % | Exchangeable Cations | Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) % | Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) % | Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) % | Clay (<0.002 mm) % | Wilting Point % w/w | |||
Ca | Mg | K | Na | |||||||||||
meq/100g | ||||||||||||||
A1 | 0-20 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 0.32 | <0.05 | 19 | 8.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 5 | 25 | 21 | 33 | 26 |
B21 | 20-40 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 0.27 | <0.05 | 18 | 12 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 4 | 21 | 15 | 48 | 29 |
B22 | 40-60 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 0.19 | 19 | 21 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 57 | 39 | |
B23 | 60-120 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 0.2 | 20 | 22 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3 | 21 | 18 | 45 | 39 | |
B3 | 120-150 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 0.25 | <0.05 | 17 | 17 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 83 |