Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Site IS3

Location: Coromby

Australian Soil Classification: Calcic, Subnatric, Red SODOSOL

General Description: Eroded crest within a plain.
Geology: Quaternary Woorinen Formation: aeolian dune sand, calcareous clay

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-5 cm	Brown (7.5YR4/4); sandy clay loam; hardsetting surface condition; weak coarse friable granular structure; pH 7.1; sharp and wavy boundary to:	Calcic, Subnatric, Red Sodosol
A2j	5–15 cm	Brown (7.5YR4/4) sporadically bleached (10YR7/2d); sandy clay loam; weak coarse friable granular structure; pH 6.2; sharp and wavy boundary to:
Subsoil
B21	15–45 cm	Reddish brown (5YR4/4); light clay; plastic; moderate very coarse prismatic structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 7.7; clear and smooth boundary to:
B22	45–65 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8); medium clay; plastic; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; strong consistence dry; sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) hard carbonate segregations; pH 8.9; sharp and broken boundary to:
B23	65–75 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8); medium clay; plastic; very large lenticular structure (slickensides); strong consistence dry; sticky consistence wet; few (2-10%) soft carbonate segregations; rock fragments; pH 9.0:
C	75+ cm	Impenetrable rock.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	Sample Depth cm	pH		EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
Horizon	Sample Depth cm	H₂O	CaCl₂	EC dS/m	Sodium Chloride %	Exchangeable Calcium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Magnesium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Potassium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Sodium cmol-/kg	Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg	Exchangeable Acidity cmol-/kg	Field Capacity -30^okPa	Permanent Wilting Point -1500^okPa	Coarse Sand %	Fine Sand %	Silt %	Clay %
A1	0–5	7.1	6.4	0.06	0.01	3.1	0.4	0.6	NA	NA	2.9	NA	4.7	45	23	13	14
A2j	5–15	6.2	NA	0.07	0.01	2.4	0.8	0.4	0.1	NA	3.3	13.1	4.8	43	24	15	16
B21	15–45	7.7	6.7	0.3	0.02	11.8	12	2.5	3.3	NA	7.1	NA	30	10	6	3	79
B22	45–65	8.9	NA	0.46	0.02	10.5	12.4	2.2	3.3	NA	1.5	NA	24	20	12	6	62
B23	65–75	9.0	NA	0.33	0.02	6.8	9	1.6	2.6	NA	1.0	NA	15.9	32	15	8	44

Note: NA=not assessed.

Management Considerations:

Strong texture contrasts (16% to 79% clay).
Neutral upper soil becoming alkaline at depth, high level of nutrients in upper subsoil (B21, B22 horizons).
Thin surface and subsurface horizon with, poor structure and high coarse sand component.
Subsurface soil is leached with fewer nutrients than above or below.
Subsoil is sodic, with sodicity and salinity higher in upper and mid subsoil (B21 and B22 horizons).
Subsoil is reddish in upper subsoil, indicating relatively free drainage and air movement (oxidising conditions), despite clay percentage.
Landform element, eroded crest-plain; moderate site drainage.

Profile Described By: John Martin, Nabil Badawy, Ron Cawood, Geoff Pope, John Galea, John Turner (1970).

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