Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Site IS31

Location: Vectis South

Australian Soil Classification: Calcic, Mesonatric, Yellow SODOSOL

General Landscape Description: Swale within a Dunefield.
Geology: Quaternary Lowan Formation: aeolian fine to medium grained dune sand

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-20 cm	Dark brown (10YR3/3); sandy loam; hardsetting surface condition; weak granular structure; firm consistence dry; pH 6.6; sharp boundary to:
Subsoil
B1	20-35 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) sporadically bleached (2.5Y7/4d); light medium clay; subplastic; massive structure with cemented capping; very strong consistence dry; pH 7.4; gradual boundary to:
B21	35-80 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6); light medium clay; subplastic; weak blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; very few (<2%) calcareous soft segregations; pH 8.5; gradual boundary to:
B22	80-100 cm	Yellow (10YR7/6) with (5YR5/6) mottles; medium heavy clay; weak blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; contains very few (<2%) calcareous nodule segregations; pH 9.2; sharp boundary to:
B3	100-120 cm	Brownish yellow (2.5Y7/4) with (2.5YR4/8) mottles; sandy clay; weak blocky structure; strong consistence dry; slightly sticky consistence wet; contains very few (<2%) calcareous nodule segregations and sandstone fragments; pH 9.4.

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	0–20	6.6	NA	0.11	0.01	1.9	1.6	0.2	0.3	NA	2.9	NA	4.6	51	34	4	9
B1	20–35	7.4	NA	0.23	0.04	5.2	7.1	0.9	2.4	NA	5	NA	17.9	32	19	2	45
B21	35–80	8.5	NA	0.51	0.05	5.2	9.6	1.5	3.1	NA	2.7	NA	21.1	28	17	3	52
B22	80–100	9.2	NA	0.53	0.05	4.8	11.1	1.9	4.4	NA	NA	NA	12.6	23	19	0	56
B3	100–120	9.4	NA	NA	0.05	3.8	8.7	1.5	3.8	NA	NA	NA	NA	23	12	0	42

Note: NA=not assessed.

Management Considerations:

Strong texture contrast soil.
Sandy surface soil with little structure, susceptible to wind and sheet erosion.
Slightly acidic to neutral surface soil, low nutrient availability.
Subsoil becomes highly alkaline with depth and clay decreases at depth.
Subsoil is sodic, with sodium and magnesium levels increasing at depth, dispersion likely.
Paler colours with red mottling indicate restrictive internal drainage but some oxidation present.
Landform element, swale; very poor site drainage.

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

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