ESAS12c

Location: Patchewollock

Australian Soil Classification: Hypercalcic, Regolithic, Calcenic TENOSOL

General Landscape Description: Summit surface of a sand dune within the north-south ridge. Gently undulating rises. Relict lunette.
Site Description: Crest.
Geology: Neogene (Tertiary) sediments; (Quaternary) aeolian sediments (Woorinen Formation).
Land Use: Cereal cropping.

Image: ESAS12c Landscape 2

ESAS12c Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

Ap	0-10 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/4); light sand; loose surface condition; single grain (massive in wheel track); very weak consistence (moderately moist); pH 7.4; abrupt change to:	ESAS12c Profile
A12	10-15 cm	Yellowish red (5YR4/6); light sand; single grain (massive in wheel track); very weak consistence (moderately moist); pH 6.4; abrupt change to:
A13	15-22 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/4); light sand; massive; very weak consistence (moderately moist); pH 7.3; clear change to:
A14	22-45 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/4); light sand; massive; very weak consistence (moderately moist); slightly calcareous; pH 8.7; abrupt, wavy change to:
Subsoil
B21k	45-80 cm	Strong brown (7.5YR5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6 dry); clayey sand; weak coarse to fine angular angular blocky; very weak to weak consistence (moderately moist); very many (60%) soft and medium (6-20 mm) calcareous nodules; moderately calcareous; pH 8.8; gradual change to:
B22k	80-100 cm	Strong brown (7.5YR5/8); clayey sand; weak coarse to fine angular blocky structure; very weak consistence (moderately moist); highly calcareous; gradual change to:
B23k	100+ cm	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/8) with many (20%) clear and distinct yellowish red (5YR5/8) mottles; clayey sand; weak coarse to medium blocky structure; top of layer silica sand (angular 30-80mm) capping; very firm to strong (dry) consistence; moderately to highly calcareous; pH 8.9.

Key Profile Features:

Sandy profile throughout.
Strongly alkaline subsoil.
Some plant species may be impacted by boron toxicity in the subsoil.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (Ap horizon)	Slightly Alkaline	Low-Moderate	Non-Sodic	^-
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Strongly Alkaline	Low	Non-Sodic	^-
Deeper Subsoil (at 100 cm)	Strongly Alkaline	Low	Non-Sodic	-

The surface soil is slightly alkaline. The subsoil is strongly alkaline throughout.

The salinity rating is low to moderate in upper surface soil and low throughout the rest of the profile.

The was no boron detected in the surface soil. The upper subsoil has low boron levels becoming more toxic to plant roots at about 1 metres depth, depending on the plant species.

The clay content is low throughout the profile.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC (dS/m)	Ca	Mg	K	Na
					Ca	Mg	K	Na
					meq/100g
Ap	0 - 10	7.4	7.1	0.16	4.64	0.76	0.53	0.05
A12	10-15	6.4	6.0	0.05	1.91	0.42	0.39	0.03
A13	15 - 22	7.3	6.9	0.09	3.61	0.52	0.48	0.03
A14	22 - 45	8.7	8.1	0.08	14.27	0.76	0.42	0.04
B21k	45 - 80	8.8	8.2	0.09	16.36	1.71	0.21	0.08
B22k	80 - 100	8.9	8.3	0.10
B23k	100+	8.9	8.4	0.10	14.38	3.61	0.36	0.11

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	0.65		3.6	2	53	41	2	4
A12	10-15	0.01	0.35		4.2	1.6	57	37	2	3
A13	15 - 22	0.01	0.34		4.6	2	47	45	1	3
A14	22 - 45				7.7	2.5	46	44	3	4
B21k	45 - 80			1.54	10.1	4	48	39	5	6
B22k	80 - 100			2.31	14.8	12.7
B23k	100+			3.46	8.9	4	46	41	4	9

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

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