Arthurs Seat

Arthurs Seat - Symbol As

This mapping unit comprises soils developed on Devonian granites. The remnant vegetation is described as lowland forest and grassy woodland around Arthurs Seat and grassy woodland around Mount Martha. Much of the cleared land is under housing or rural residential development.

Most of the soil profiles are deeper than 1metre, but there may be some rocky outcrops. All are texture contrast soils, which mean that there is a sharp boundary between the lighter textured surface soil and heavier textured subsoil. The surface soils are generally brownish grey gritty or sandy loams to sandy clay loams with a bleached subsurface occurring at about 100 to 150 mm. There may be slight amounts of “buckshot” (small iron concretions) at the junction of the surface soil and the clay subsoil.

Arthurs Seat in background

These clays occur at about 400 mm depth and are generally mottled yellowish brown, pale grey and yellowish grey medium clays. These clays become increasingly gritty and less clayey with depth and continue until the decomposing rock is encountered. These soils are most likely to be classified as Yellow and Grey Chromosols using the Australian Soil Classification.

Arthurs Seat, sand overlay - Symbol As,s

This is a minor mapping unit and describes areas where the soils developed on granite have been later covered by a layer of wind blown sand. The depth of sand can be expected to be quite variable.

Arthurs Seat, steep - Symbol As,st

This mapping unit comprises soils developed on the steep slopes of Arthurs Seat and are on Devonian granites. The vegetation is described as lowland forest and because the area is steep it is mostly under native vegetation.

Some rock fragments occur at the surface, and rock invariably occurs before 1metre depth. The surface soils are greyish brown sandy loams and light yellowish brown sandy clays to sandy loams occur in the subsoil. A mix of soil and decomposing rock occurs above the hard rock. These soils are most likely to be classified as a Tenosol using the Australian Soil Classification.

Photo: Arthur's Seat Profile

Example of soil developed in steep areas of Arthur's Seat.

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