VIT3

Australian Soil Classification: Bleached-Acidic, Mesotrophic, Red DERMOSOL

VIT3 landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-15 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); light very fine sandy clay loam; weak medium, parting to moderate fine to very fine subangular blocky structure; firm consistence (dry); medium to coarse (2-20 mm) angular quartz fragments common (15%); pH 6.4; clear change to:	VIT3 profile
A21	15-20 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); sporadically bleached; light very fine sandy clay loam; firm consistence (dry); medium (2-10 mm) quartz fragments common (15%); pH 5.5; clear change to:
A22	20-35 cm	Brown (7.5YR5/3) with many (20%) reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6) mottles; conspicuously bleached; very fine sandy clay loam; firm consistence (dry); few (5-10%) fine to coarse (2-20 mm) quartz fragments; pH 5.1; gradual change to:
A3	35-45 cm	Brown (7.5YR5/4); very fine sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; weak to firm consistence (moist); few (5-10%) fine to coarse (2-15 mm) quartz fragments; pH 5.2; gradual change to:
Subsoil
B21	45-60 cm	Yellowish red (5YR5/6) with many (40%) pale brown (10YR6/3) mottles; light clay; moderate – strong, medium to fine subangular blocky structure; few macropores; weak to firm consistence (moist); few (5%) quartz nodules; pH 5.1; gradual change to:
B22	60-85 cm	Dark red (2.5YR4/6) with few (10%) yellowish brown (10YR6/6) mottles; medium clay; moderate - strong, medium to fine subangular blocky structure; many (50%) shale fragments (10-30 mm) weak consistence (moist); pH 4.9; gradual change to:
B23	85-120 cm	Dark red (2.5YR4/6) with brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles; medium clay; pH 4.8:
B24	120+ cm	Dark red (2.5YR4/6) with few (10%) light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) and grey (10YR6/1) mottles in patches; sandy clay loam.

Key Profile Features:

Gradual increase in texture (clay content) with depth down the soil profile.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	Slightly Acid	Very Low	Non-Sodic	None
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Very Strongly Acid	Very Low	Non-Sodic	None
Deeper subsoil (at 85-120 cm)	Very Strongly Acid	Very Low	Non-Sodic	None

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC 1:5	Exchangeable Cations
					Ca	Mg	K	Na
					meq/100g
A1	0-15	6.4	5.8	0.07	7.9	1.6	0.52	0.13
A21	15-20	5.5	4.7	<0.05	2.8	0.73	0.23	0.09
A22	20-35	5.1	4.3	<0.05	1.1	0.44	0.31	0.09
A3	35-45	5.2	4.4	<0.05	0.95	0.55	0.38	0.08
B21	45-60	5.1	4.2	<0.05	1.3	1.2	0.60	0.13
B22	60-85	4.9	4.1	0.05	0.61	1.8	0.49	0.09
B23	85-120	4.8	4.1	<0.05	0.16	0.68	0.24	0.08

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g	Field Capacity pF 2.5	Wilting Point pF 4.2	Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm)	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm)	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm)	Clay (<0.002 mm)


A1	0-15	<10	6.6	35.9	8.7	14	28	38	14
A21	15-20	43	8.2	28.7	6.6	18	29	37	13
A22	20-35	200	6.7	26.0	7.9	13	20	45	21
A3	35-45	240	6.5	25.2	9.4	13	22	40	24
B21	45-60	400	8.3	27.1	12.7	12	18	32	35
B22	60-85	860	15	32.6	19.4	12	13	21	54
B23	85-120	570	7.8

Notes: Profile described by Mark Imhof and Kevin Powell (December 2004).

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