Victorian Resources Online (archived)

EGW38

Location: Butchers Ridge

Australian Soil Classification: Bleached, Eutrophic, Yellow DERMOSOL (Stony)

Map Unit: Carrabungla
Previous Site Name: EG38

General Landscape Description: Steep hills
Site Description: Road exposure on lower hill-slope, NNW aspect 42% slope, 40% rock outcrop
Land Use: Partially cleared
Geology: Devonian Volcanics (Snowy River Volcanics)

Road exposure near Seldom Seen, showing the rocky nature of the soils on the Carrabungla Map Unit.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface soil			Soil profile typical of the Carrabungla Map Unit
A1	0 – 20 cm	Greyish brown; sandy loam; weak consistence moist; variable amounts of angular tabular rock mostly up to 200 mm; gradual change to:
Subsoil
B1	20 – 40 cm	Pale brown; sandy clay loam; firm consistence moist; increasing amounts of angular tabular parent rock; gradual change to:
B2	40 – 70 +cm	Light yellowish brown; light clay; firm consistence moist; abundant angular tabular stones passing to parent rock.

Key Profile Features:

Weak texture contrast between the surface soils and subsoils.
Shallow and rocky nature of the soil will restrict plant growth.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

-	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion
Subsoil (B1 horizon)	Slightly acid	Very low	Non sodic	None
Deeper subsoil (40-70 cm)	Slightly acid	Very low	Non sodic	None

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	Exchangeable Aluminium ppm	Exchangeable 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 Capacity % w/w	Wilting Point % w/w
							Ca	Mg	K	Na
							meq/100g
B1	20-40	6.3	5.6	0.05	<1	5.1	4.3	1.1	0.27	0.06	34	29	19	18	24.2	7.2
B2	40-70	6.3	5.6	0.05	<1	6.1	4.5	2.1	0.43	0.1	28	24	14	33	25.4	10.2

Management Considerations

Whole profile

The profile is slightly acid throughout.
If the soil was under pasture with an effective rooting depth of 70 cm the plant available water capacity is considered to be low; estimated at 47 mm due to its stony nature.

Surface (A) horizons
Although no surface sample was taken, it would be safe to assume:

The low wilting point of the sub-surface horizon indicates if pasture species are grown, they will be able to use light rains when the soil is dry. Due to the low water storage capacity of the soil, plants will suffer water stress unless further rains occur.
The soils are slightly acidic and, under pasture, would show little if any response to lime.
The nutrient holding capacity of the soil is very low, based on the sum of the exchangeable basic cations.
Potassium levels are deficient and a response to potassium fertilisers would be expected if the soils were under pasture.

Profile Described By: David Rees and Grant Boyle, 2000.

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