Site IS6

Location: Murtoa

Australian Soil Classification: Epicalcareous-Endohypersodic, Self-Mulching, Grey VERTOSOL

General Landscape Description: Crest of a gently undulating plain.
Geology: Quaternary Woorinen Formation: aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10 cm	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); medium clay; subplastic; cracking and self-mulching surface condition; weak coarse friable granular structure; weak consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 8.6; sharp boundary to:
Subsoil
B21	10-35 cm	Dark grey (N4/0) with light yellowish grey mottles; heavy clay; subplastic; moderate subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) soft carbonate segregations; pH 8.9:
B22	35-60 cm	Dark grey (N4/0) with light yellowish grey mottles; heavy clay; subplastic; moderate subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 9.0:
B222	60-100 cm	Dark grey (N4/0) with light yellowish grey mottles; heavy clay; subplastic; moderate subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 9.0:
B223	100-115 cm	Dark grey (N4/0) with light yellowish grey mottles; heavy clay; subplastic; moderate subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) soft carbonate segregations; pH 9.1:
B224	115-135	Dark grey (N4/0) with light yellowish grey mottles; heavy clay; subplastic; moderate subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) soft carbonate segregations; pH 9.1; sharp boundary to:
B31	135-180	Light olive (5Y6/2) mottles; medium heavy clay; plastic; strong coarse blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; pH 9.0.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	Sample Depth cm	pH		EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
Horizon	Sample Depth cm	H₂O	CaCl₂	EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
A1	0–10	8.6	NA	0.2	0.01	30.5	6.8	2.7	0.9	NA	2.2	NA	23.0	12	17	7	58
B21	10–35	8.8	NA	0.21	0.02	30.5	7.4	2	1.8	NA	2.4	NA	26.6	12	13	8	64
B22	35–60	8.9	NA	0.3	0.03	26.2	7.3	1.9	4.2	NA	NA	NA	29.3	10	13	8	66
B222	60–100	9.0	NA	0.53	0.08	22.6	10.6	1.9	7.4	NA	2.8	NA	32.1	10	12	8	66
B223	100–115	9.1	NA	0.79	0.13	17.9	12.6	1.9	10.7	NA	NA	NA	31.6	10	11	9	66
B224	115–135	9.0	NA	1	0.17	16	13.4	1.9	12.9	NA	NA	NA	31.9	7	11	9	68
B31	135–180	9.0	NA	1.2	0.22	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	38.4	6	11	12	68
B32	180–225	8.8	NA	1.35	0.25	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	30.8	7	11	13	68

Note: NA=not assessed.

Management Considerations:

Cracking clay (vertic) soil.
Highly alkaline soils, very slight decrease at depth.
Friable self-mulching surface.
Surface and subsurface soil are darker than subsoil, more organic matter and very high calcium percentage.
Lighter coloured subsoil with poorer internal drainage does not appear till 135 cm.
High calcium levels to 100 cm should provide greater stability and structure.
Subsoil is strongly sodic and salinity increases at depth (below 115 cm).
Landform element, crest: moderate site drainage.

Profile Described By: John Martin, Nabil Badawy, Ron Cawood, Geoff Pope, John Galea, John Turner (1970).

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