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SFS21

Location: East of Lake Weering
Aust. Soil Class.: Melanic, Hypercalcic, Black VERTOSOL (or DERMOSOL) (Clayey)

General Landscape Description: Lunette
Element: Crest
Slope: 3%
Aspect: West
Geology: Quaternary aeoliandeposits: sand, clay, calcareous sand

Image:  SFS 21 landscape
SFS 21

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil
Image:  SFS 21 profile
SFS 21
A110-10 cmBlack (10YR 2/1); heavy clay loam to light clay; fine crumb structure (self mulching); pH 6.3; clear change to:
A1210-30 cmBlack (10YR 2/1); light clay; rough peds, fine to medium (5-20 mm) polyhedral structure, strong consistence; pH 6.3; clear change to:
Subsoil
B2130-60 cmVery dark grey (7.5YR 3/1 moist), dark brown (10YR 3/3 dry); light medium clay; moderate coarse polyhedral parting to strong fine polyhedral structure; pH 6.3; clear change to:
B22k60-130+ cmLight brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2); light medium clay; apedal but very common fine pores and some larger root channels infilled with A and B horizon material; very calcareous; pH 8.5.

Key Profile Features:
  • Well structured soil profile.
  • Very calcareous in deeper subsoil.

Soil Profile Characteristics:


pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Slightly Acid
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
Slightly Alkaline
Low
Non-Sodic
None1
Deeper subsoil
(at 75-85 cm)
Moderately Alkaline
Low
Non-Sodic
None
1 Strong dispersion after remoulding

Image:  SFS 21 graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC
dS/m
NaCl
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-10
6.3
5.9
0.30
0.04
11.0
5.5
2.3
0.3
A12
15-25
6.3
5.7
0.09
12.0
8.0
2.6
0.27
B21
40-50
7.3
6.8
0.19
18.0
16.0
2.6
0.41
B22k
75-85
8.5
8.0
0.26
59.0
37.0
4.0
2.0

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
Exchangeable Aluminium
mg/kg
Exchangeable Acidity
meq/100g
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)
A1
0-10
36.3
20.9
12.3
18.5
15.5
45
A12
15-25
<10
8.7
33.2
20.6
15.8
17.1
12.5
47.5
B21
40-50
48.6
31.4
5.2
7.7
7
72
B22k
75-85
25.2
14.0
3.2
6.5
9.0
42.5

Management Considerations:
  • The lunette soils in the Victorian Volcanic Plain may have sandy or clay profiles, with clay profiles, as in this case (SFS21), being generally more common. Occurrence is very localised and of limited spatial extent. The soils are well structured and have high fertility. Site drainage is usually good but because the clay content is high and the clays swell, internal drainage is often poor and the soil surface becomes sticky and difficult to manage when wet.

Whole Profile Notes
  • Profile described by Richard MacEwan & Mark Imhof, June 2000.


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