Victorian Resources Online (archived)

EGS261

Location: Bruthen

Australian Soil Classification: Melacic, Eutrophic, Brown DERMOSOL

Map Unit: Tambo (Component 1)
Previous Site Name: EG261

General Landscape Description: Rolling to steep low hills.
Site Description: Upper slope
Land Use: Grazing on annual pasture
Native Vegetation: Valley dry forest
Geology: Ordovician sediments

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A11	0 – 12 cm	Dark yellowish brown; fine sandy clay loam; few (10%) small angular pebbles (<20 mm); clear and wavy change to:	EG261 Profile
A12	12 – 35 cm	Yellowish brown; fine sandy clay loam (heavy); common (10-20%) angular pebbles (<60 mm) increasing with depth; gradual change to:
A13	35 – 60 cm	Light brown; fine sandy clay loam (heavy); many (20-50%) angular pebbles and cobbles (<200 mm) increasing in size and amounts with depth; passing to:
Subsoil
R	60+ cm	Weak rock becoming stronger with depth.

Key Profile Features:

Uniform textures to at least 60 cm.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

-	pH	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface soil (A11 horizon)	Strongly Acid	Non-Sodic	None
Subsurface (A12 horizon)	Strongly Acid	Non-Sodic	None¹
Deeper subsoil (35 – 60 cm)	Strongly Acid	Non-Sodic	None²

¹ Slight dispersion after remoulding. ² Strong dispersion after remoulding.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH CaCl₂	CE dS/m	Organic Carbon %	Total Nitrogen %	Exch. Al	Exch. Acididty meq/100g	Exchangeable Cations				Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) %	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) %	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) %	Clay (<0.002 mm) %	Field cap. % w/w	Wilt. point % w/w
									Ca	Mg	K	Na
									meq/100g
A11	0-12	5.4	4.7	0.07	5.7	0.35	71	17	7.1	1.8	0.4	<0.1	16	30	26	17	37.6	12.1
A12	12-35	5.2	4.4	<0.05			200	13	1.4	1.3	0.3	<0.1	15	32	31	18	27.1	8.6
A13	35-60	5.3	4.4	<0.05			190	9.1	0.9	1.8	0.2	<0.1	17	33	28	21	22.1	8.3

Management Considerations

Whole profile

The brown colours throughout and lack of texture contrast indicate the profile is well drained internally.
The soil texture is almost uniform throughout.

Surface (A11) horizon

The soil has a high organic matter content conferring good structural stability.
The nutrient holding capacity of the soil is moderate (based on the sum of exchangeable cations).
The potassium levels are marginal but the soil is unlikely to show a response to potassium fertilisers at this stage.

Subsurface soils

The presence of increasing amounts of rock in the subsoil is likely to restrict root development.

Profile Described By: Ian Sargeant (2011).

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