Victorian Resources Online (archived)

LS21 east

Location: Baker

Australian Soil Classification: Episodic-Epicalcareous (and Magnesic), Epipedal, Brown VERTOSOL

Northcote Factual Key: Ug 5.2
Great Soil Group: grey clay

General Landscape Description: Gently Undulating Plain.
Site Description: Hollow component within a gilgaied plain.
Native Vegetation: Black Box and Lignum Bush occur in undisturbed areas.

LS21 east Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10 cm	Dark greyish brown (10YR4/2); medium clay; firm consistence dry; pH 9.3	LS1 east Profile
Subsoil
B21	10-50 cm	Brown (7.5YR5/4); medium clay; strong coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse blocky structure; firm consistence moist; pH 9.5
B22	50-80 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) with yellowish brown (10YR5/8) mottles; medium heavy clay; moderate coarse lenticular structure; firm consistence moist; pH 9.4
B23	80+ cm	Light yellowish brown (2.5YR6/4); light medium clay; strong coarse lenticular structure; pH 9.1

Soil Profile Characteristics:

-	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	Very Strongly Alkaline	Medium	Strongly Sodic	None*
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	Very Strongly Alkaline	Extremely High	Strongly Sodic	Slight
Deeper Subsoil (at 1 metre)	Very Strongly Alkaline	Extremely High	Strongly Sodic	-

* Strong dispersion after remoulding.

The profile is very strongly alkaline throughout.

The salinity rating is medium in the surface and extremely high in the subsoil.

The profile is strongly sodic throughout.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC dS/m	Na Cl %	Exchangeable Cations				Total Nitrogen %	Organic Carbon %	Field Capacity pF 2.5	Wilting Point pF 4.2
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						meq/100g
A1	0-10	9.3	8.4	0.66	0.1	10.2	9.5	2	4.9	0.13	1.3	32.1	24.2
B21	10-50	9.5	9.2	1.81	0.32	2.6	12	1.9	11.5			42.5	29.7
B22	50-80	9.4	8.8	1.13	0.44	2.9	14	2.1	11.1
B23	80+	9.1	8.8	2.5	0.52	2.3	16	2.4	12.8

Management Considerations:

Surface (A) Horizons

Moderately saline surface conditions are likely to restrict plant growth.

Subsoil (B) Horizons

High level of soluble salts in the subsoil are likely to be harmful to salt sensitive species.
Strongly sodic conditions restrict plant growth. High level of soluble salts is the subsoil will restrict dispersion.
The calcium/magnesium ratio for the subsoil is very low (approx. 0.1) and may result in plant nutrient imbalance, e.g. magnesium toxicity or calcium deficiency.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, David Rees, Sonia Thompson (October 1994).

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