EGC205

Location: Hinnomunjie

Australian Soil Classification: Eutrophic, Brown CHROMOSOL

Map Unit: Hinnomunjie (Component 2)
Previous Site Name: EG205

General Landscape Description: Rolling low hills
Site description: Lower north-west facing slope (8% slope)
Land Use: Grazing on annual pasture
Native Vegetation: Montane dry woodland
Geology: Ordovician metamorphosed sediments




Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface soil
A11	0 – 15 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/3); clay loam; weak medium polyhedral structure; weak consistence dry; pH 5.2; clear change to:
A12	15 – 25 cm	Reddish brown (5YR5/4); clay loam; weak medium (10 – 20 mm) polyhedral structure; weak consistence dry; many angular tabular pebbles; pH 5.2; clear change to:
A13	25 – 30 cm	Red (2.5YR4/6); clay loam; strong fine granular structure; firm consistence dry; many angular tabular (20 – 60 mm) pebbles; pH 5.6; diffuse change to:
Subsoil
B1	30 – 40 cm	Red (2.5YR4/6); light medium clay; strong fine granular structure; firm consistence dry; pH 6.0; clear change to:
B21	40 – 65 cm	Reddish brown (7.5YR4/4); medium clay; strong fine granular structure; firm consistence dry; pH 6.0; clear change to:
C	65 – 85 cm	Brown (7.5YR4/4); medium clay with soft rock; common angular tabular (6 – 20 mm) pebbles; soft rock increasing with depth.

• Gradual increase in soil texture down the soil profile.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl2)	EC dS/m	Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Free Fe2O3 % w/w	Exchangeable Aluminium ppm	Exchangeable Acididty meq/100g	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) %	Field Capacity % w/w	Wilting Point % w/w
										Ca	Mg	K	Na
										meq/100g
A11	0-15	5.2	4.7	0.13	2.5	0.19	3.4	12	5.7	3	1	0.5	0.07	16	51	10	16	19.7	6.1
A12	15-25	5.2	4.6	0.07	1.2	0.09		18	5.1	2.3	0.83	0.22	0.08	18	52	8	18	18.3	5.4
A13	25-30	5.6	4.9	<0.05	0.84			11	4.7	2.5	1.5	0.22	0.09	18	49	12	17	19.6	6.6
B21	30-40	6.0	5.2	<0.05	0.68			<10	6.2	3.3	3.8	0.25	0.16	7	46	13	31	24.5	11.4
B22	40-65	6.5	5.6	<0.05	0.7				11.0	5.3	9	0.37	0.28	2	16	9	70	37.9	24.7

• Infiltration of water though the upper part of the soil profile will be rapid due to porous nature of the surface horizons.
• Plant available water content for this profile is considered to be moderate, based on a plant root depth of 65 cm.
• The clay content increases quite markedly at 40 cm.

• The low wilting point (6.1, 5.4 and 6.6) of the surface soils indicates the plants are able to utilise very light rains when the soil is dry. However, due to the low water storage capacity, plants will soon suffer moisture stress unless further rains occur.
• The organic matter content of the soil is high. Such levels result in a good structural condition and good structural stability.
• The surface soil is strongly acid and a pasture response to lime additions would be quite likely. As the soil is also fairly high in iron oxide, deficiencies in phosphorus and molybdenum are likely and lime applications would increase nutrient availability.
• Potassium at a moderate level for pastures and no response to potassium fertiliser would be expected.
• Salinity is not a problem in the surface soil.
• The nutrient holding capacity of the surface horizons is low (based on the sum of the exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium cations). Organic matter is important for maintaining soil fertility on such soils.

• The subsoil and the deep subsoil are not sodic and do not disperse. However both slake considerably and if the subsoil is exposed, for example by a gully head, headward erosion is very highly likely.