Victorian Resources Online (archived)
GRES401
Location: Bairnsdale East
Australian Soil Classification: Eutrophic, Mottled-Mesonatric, Brown SODOSOL
Map Unit: Stratford
Previous Site Name: AL64
General Landscape Description: Slight depression on the plain.
Chemical and Physical Analysis:
Horizon | Horizon Depth (cm) | pH (water) | EC dS/m | Organic Carbon % | Total Nitrogen % | Free Fe2O3 % w/w | Exch. Acididty meq/100g | Exchangeable Cations | Field texture | Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) % | Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) % | Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) % | Clay (<0.002 mm) % | |||
Ca | Mg | K | Na | |||||||||||||
meq/100g | ||||||||||||||||
A1 | 0-5 | 5.0 | 0.06 | 2.18 | 0.18 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | ZL | 8 | 47 | 27 | 14 | |
A2 | 10-20 | 5.5 | 0.05 | 1.01 | 0.09 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ZCL | 6 | 38 | 27 | 18 | |
B21 | 30-35 | 5.4 | 0.10 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 4.3 | 0.1 | 1.6 | MC | 3 | 24 | 33 | 39 | |||
B22 | 60-80 | 6.0 | 0.35 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 8.5 | 0.2 | 4.9 | LC | 4 | 20 | 21 | 53 | |||
B23 | 90-110 | 6.6 | 0.54 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 8.9 | 0.2 | 5.7 | LC | 4 | 31 | 17 | 48 | |||
Management Considerations
Surface (A) horizons
- The surface soil is strongly acid and it is likely the pastures could show a marked response to lime, particularly given the low calcium levels in the soil. Lime should first be added in test strips to see whether it is warranted.
- Potassium levels are at deficiency levels and a response to added potassium may be expected, provided there are no other nutrient deficiencies.
- The calcium to magnesium ratios are low and some nutrient deficiencies (eg calcium deficiency) could occur.
Subsoil (B) horizons
- The subsoil is clayey, sodic and has low calcium to magnesium ratio. Such soils are a likely to be dispersive, coarsely structured and restrictive to root development.
- Strongly sodic soils occur in the deeper subsoil.
- Harmful levels of soluble salts occur in the deeper subsoil.
Profile Described By: J.M. Aldrick, 1978.
