ESAS12b

Location: Patchewollock

Australian Soil Classification: Haplic, Hypercalcic, Red KANDOSOL

General Landscape Description: Sand dune within the north-south ridge. Gently undulating rises. Relict lunette.
Site Description: Mid slope.
Geology: Neogene (Tertiary) sediments; (Quaternary) aeolian sediments (Woorinen Formation).
Land Use: Cereal cropping.

Image: ESAS12b Landscape 2

ESAS12b Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

Ap	0-10 cm	Dark reddish brown (5YR3/3); light sand; loose surface condition; massive; weak consistence (dry); pH 6.9; abrupt change to:	ESAS12b Profile
A12	10-15 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/3); light sand; massive; weak consistence (moderately moist); pH 6.1; abrupt change to:
Subsoil
B21	15-20 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/4); clayey sand; weak coarse to medium blocky structure; firm to very firm consistence (moderately moist); pH 6.9; abrupt change to:
B22	20-30 cm	Dark reddish brown (5YR3/3); sandy loam (clayey); weak coarse to medium blocky structure; firm consistence (moderately moist): slightly calcareous; pH 7.2; clear change to:
B23	30-45 cm	Dark red (2.5YR3/6) with many (20%) faint medium red (2.5YR4/6) mottles; sandy clay loam; weak coarse to medium blocky structure; firm to very firm consistence (moderately moist); slightly calcareous; pH 7.7; gradual change to:
B24	45-55 cm	Dusky red (2.5YR4/4) with faint coarse red (2.5YR4/8) mottles common (10-20%); light clay (sandy); weak to moderate coarse to medium blocky structure; weak consistence (moderately moist); moderately calcareous; pH 8.3; clear change to:
B25k	55-80 cm	Red (2.5YR5/6); heavy sandy clay loam; firm consistence (moderately moist); many (40%) soft calcareous segregations, some semi-hard; pH 8.6; clear change to:
B26	80-110 cm	Dark red (2.5YR4/8) with many distinct medium light brown (7.5YR6/4 dry); light clay (sandy); moderate coarse to fine angular blocky structure; very firm to strong (dry) consistence; slight amount (10%) of soft and semi-hard calcareous segregations; pH 8.8:
B27k	110+ cm	Very many (>80%) soft and semi-hard coarse (5-15mm) calcareous segregations present; pH 9.2.

Key Profile Features:

Sandy profile throughout.
Strongly alkaline deeper subsoil.
Boron toxicity in the deeper subsoil.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (Ap horizon)	Slightly Acidic	Low	Non-Sodic	None
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Slightly Acidic	Very Low	Non-Sodic	None¹
Deeper Subsoil (at 100 cm)	Strongly Alkaline	Low	Non-Sodic	-

¹Moderate dispersion remoulded.

Graphs: ESAS12b graphs

The surface and upper subsoil is slightly acidic becoming strongly alkaline at depth.

The salinity rating is low throughout the profile.

There was no boron detected in the surface. The upper subsoil has low boron levels becoming toxic to some plant species roots at about 1 metres depth.

The clay content is low throughout the profile.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC (dS/m)	NaCl %	Ca	Mg	K	Na
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						meq/100g
Ap	0 - 10	6.9	6.7	0.12		3.00	0.71	0.64	0.07
A12	10-15	6.1	5.4	0.04		2.43	0.58	0.56	0.05
B21	25 - 20	6.9	6.3	0.05		4.18	0.98	0.72	0.05
B22	20 - 30	7.2	6.5	0.05		6.35	1.47	0.84	0.06
B23	30 - 45	7.7	7.0	0.06		8.98	2.55	0.63	0.11
B24	45 - 55	8.3	7.8	0.13		15.58	3.88	0.46	0.18
B25k	55 - 80	8.6	8.0	0.13		19.66	4.52	0.40	0.26
B26	80-110	8.8	8.1	0.15
B27k	110+	9.2	8.3	0.25	19.88

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Total Nitrogen %	Organic Carbon %	Available Boron mg/kg	Field Capacity pF2.5	Wilting Point pF4.2	Coarse Sand (0.2- 2.0 mm)	Fine Sand (0.02- 0.2 mm)	Silt (0.002- 0.02 mm)	Clay (<0.002 mm)


Ap	0 - 10	0.04	0.78		6	2.3	58	33	1	3
A12	10-15	0.02	0.36		6.9	2.2	56	35	1	4
B21	25 - 20	0.01	0.43		14.4	4.3	47	36	5	9
B22	20 - 30			0.94	16.4	4.6	46	35	5	14
B23	30 - 45			1.16	19.8	6.8	47	28	7	16
B24	45 - 55			1.52	19.5	9.9	43	24	6	23
B25k	55 - 80			1.86	21.7	10.3	33	27	6	22
B26	80-110
B27k	110+			13.01

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof and Melissa Cann (August 2008).

Page top