LS14

Location: Propodollah

Australian Soil Classification: Eutrophic, Subnatric, Brown SODOSOL (deep sandy)

Northcote Factual Key: Dy 4.41
Great Soil Group: soloth

General Landscape Description: Crest of a dune on a gently undulating sand plain.

LS14 Landscape

A11	0-15cm	Dark brown (10YR4/3); loamy sand; weakly structured; loose consistence dry; pH 6.7:	LS14 Profile
A12	15-35 cm	Brown (7.5YR4/4); loamy sand; structureless; loose consistence dry:
A2	35-100 cm	Brown (7.5YR5/4); sand; (drying out to a bleached colour); structureless; loose consistence dry; pH 6.8: Note: Within this horizon massive yellowish red (5YR5/8); clayey sand (6% clay) areas occur which are of firm consistence dry; pH 6.1 (referred to as a B1 horizon).
Subsoil
B21	100-160 cm	Strong brown (7.5YR5/6) with yellowish brown (10YR5/8) mottles; coarse sandy loam (16% clay); weak coarse columnar structure and very strong consistence dry. The top of the columnar structure has a hard bleached capping; pH 6.3:
B22	160+	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8); coarse sandy loam; massively structured; very strong consistence dry.

• Deep sandy A horizons to 1m depth.

The soil is slightly acid throughout.

The salinity rating is very low throughout.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl2)	EC dS/m	Exchangeable Cations
					Ca	Mg	K	Na
					meq/100g
A11	0-15	6.7	6	<0.05	1.8	0.5	0.1	<0.1
A12	15-35	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
A2	35-60	6.8	5.9	<0.05	0.5	0.1	<0.1	<0.1
B1	60-100	6.1	4.9	<0.05	1.8	0.9	0.1	<0.1
B21	100-160	6.3	4.9	0.06	2	2.9	0.1	0.5
B22	160+

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Total Nitrogen %	Oxidisable Organic Carbon %	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) %
A11	0-15	0.06	1.1	3.7	2.1
A12	15-35	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
A2	35-60			3	0.9
B1	60-100			5.2	2.8	64	28	2	6
B21	100-160					60	22	1	16
B22	160+

• The surface soil is prone to wind erosion, but this is limited to some extent by vegetation cover and reasonable levels of organic matter which promote surface aggregation.
• The low water holding capacity of the surface soil horizon will also be improved by increasing surface organic matter levels.
• Sandy surface horizons have a very low inherent fertility as well as low levels of total nitrogen. High leaching rates are likely to result in nutrients being removed more readily. Increasing organic matter levels in light textured surface soils will improve nutrient holding capacity.

• The sodic subsoil horizon (with hard surface capping) is likely to restrict water movement and may affect root penetration of deeper rooted plants. Lateral movement of water will occur above the relatively impermeable subsoil after heavy rain.

• Mallee cleared around 1900.
• Skeleton weed is a problem.
• Chisel plough used for cultivation.