Location: Walpeup. | Australian Soil Classification: Sodic, Hypercalcic, Red DERMOSOL. |
Geology: Quaternary deposits. | Northcote Factual Key: Dy 2.43 |
General Landscape Description: Crest of the Walpeup Ridge with Belah vegetation. | Property: Mallee Research Station |
Site MP5 Landscape |
A11 | 0-5 cm | Dark reddish brown (5YR3/4); fine sandy loam; hardsetting surface condition; moderate fine blocky structure; weak consistence dry; slightly calcareous; pH 6.9; sharp and smooth change to: | Site MP5 Profile |
A12 | 5-30 cm | Yellowish red (5YR4/6); loamy sand; apedal; weak consistence dry; slightly calcareous; pH 7.2; sharp and smooth change to: | |
A2 | 30-32 cm | Light reddish brown (5YR6/4) conspicuously bleached (5YR7/4 dry); sandy loam; massive in structure; weak consistence dry; slightly calcareous; sharp and smooth change to: | |
Subsoil | |||
B1 | 32-37 cm | Dark red (2.5YR4/8); sandy loam; massive; very strong consistence dry; possible clay hardpan; slightly calcareous; pH 8.0; clear and smooth change to: | |
B21 | 37-50 cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/6); clay loam (sandy); moderate blocky structure; slightly calcareous; pH 9.5: | |
B22k | 50-90 cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/6); light clay (sandy); moderate coarse blocky structure; very strong consistence dry; contains many (20-50%) fine-earth carbonates and nodules; very highly calcareous; pH 9.6: | |
B3k | 90+ cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/8); light clay (sandy); moderate blocky structure; contains very many (>50%) fine-earth carbonates; very highly calcareous; pH 9.6. | |
Note: At 160 cm depth horizontal carbonate piping occurs. |
The surface soil is slightly acid. The upper subsoil is very strongly alkaline becoming extremely alkaline with depth. | The surface soil has a very low salinity rating. The upper subsoil is moderate becoming extremely high at 40 cm. |
The surface soil is non-sodic but becomes sodic at about 10 cm. The subsoil is strongly sodic throughout. | The clay content increases gradually with depth. |