Victorian Resources Online (archived)

SFS21

Location: East of Lake Weering
Aust. Soil Class.: Melanic, Hypercalcic, Black VERTOSOL (or DERMOSOL) (Clayey)

General Landscape Description: Lunette
Element: Crest
Slope: 3%
Aspect: West
Geology: Quaternary aeoliandeposits: sand, clay, calcareous sand

SFS 21

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil			SFS 21
A11	0-10 cm	Black (10YR 2/1); heavy clay loam to light clay; fine crumb structure (self mulching); pH 6.3; clear change to:
A12	10-30 cm	Black (10YR 2/1); light clay; rough peds, fine to medium (5-20 mm) polyhedral structure, strong consistence; pH 6.3; clear change to:
Subsoil
B21	30-60 cm	Very dark grey (7.5YR 3/1 moist), dark brown (10YR 3/3 dry); light medium clay; moderate coarse polyhedral parting to strong fine polyhedral structure; pH 6.3; clear change to:
B22k	60-130+ cm	Light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2); light medium clay; apedal but very common fine pores and some larger root channels infilled with A and B horizon material; very calcareous; pH 8.5.

Key Profile Features:

Well structured soil profile.
Very calcareous in deeper subsoil.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	Slightly Acid	Low	Non-Sodic	None
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Slightly Alkaline	Low	Non-Sodic	None¹
Deeper subsoil (at 75-85 cm)	Moderately Alkaline	Low	Non-Sodic	None

¹ Strong dispersion after remoulding

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	NaCl	Exchangeable Cations
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						meq/100g
A1	0-10	6.3	5.9	0.30	0.04	11.0	5.5	2.3	0.3
A12	15-25	6.3	5.7	0.09		12.0	8.0	2.6	0.27
B21	40-50	7.3	6.8	0.19		18.0	16.0	2.6	0.41
B22k	75-85	8.5	8.0	0.26		59.0	37.0	4.0	2.0

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g	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)


A1	0-10			36.3	20.9	12.3	18.5	15.5	45
A12	15-25	<10	8.7	33.2	20.6	15.8	17.1	12.5	47.5
B21	40-50			48.6	31.4	5.2	7.7	7	72
B22k	75-85			25.2	14.0	3.2	6.5	9.0	42.5

Management Considerations:

The lunette soils in the Victorian Volcanic Plain may have sandy or clay profiles, with clay profiles, as in this case (SFS21), being generally more common. Occurrence is very localised and of limited spatial extent. The soils are well structured and have high fertility. Site drainage is usually good but because the clay content is high and the clays swell, internal drainage is often poor and the soil surface becomes sticky and difficult to manage when wet.

Whole Profile

Plant available water capacity (PAWC) is considered to be medium (estimated at 125 mm) in the upper 100 cm of this soil profile.

Notes

Profile described by Richard MacEwan & Mark Imhof, June 2000.

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