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Site MP34

Location: Nullawil.

Australian Soil Classification: Endocalcareous-Endohypersodic, Epipedal, Brown VERTOSOL.

Geology: Recent alluvial deposits (Coonambidgal Formation).
General Landscape Description: Alluvial plain - original vegetation included Black Box (E. Microcarpa) and Lignum Bush (Muhlenbeckia spp.). Gilgai microrelief present.
Site Description: Reserved area with some native vegetation.

Photo: MP 34 landscape
Site MP34 Landscape.


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil
A10-10 cmBrown (7.5YR4/4); light clay (fine sandy); surface cracking when dry; moderate coarse subangular blocky, parting to medium subangular blocky structure (rough-faced peds); weak consistence moist; pH 8.1; clear change to:

Photo: MP 34 profile
Site MP34 Profile
Subsoil

B2110-20 cmBrown (10YR4/3); medium clay; moderate medium subangular blocky, parting to fine subangular blocky structure; very weak consistence moist; pH 8.6; wavy change to:

B2220-45 cmBrown (10YR4/3); light medium clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure (smooth-faced peds); very weak consistence moist; pH 9.0; gradual change to:

B2345-90 cmStrong brown (7.5YR5/6); light medium clay; strong very coarse prismatic, parting to strong coarse angular blocky structure (smooth-faced peds); strong consistence dry; contains very few (2%) hard carbonate/silica nodules (size 6-8 mm) and few (2-5%) fine-earth carbonates; pH 9.4:

B2490+ cm Strong brown (7.5YR5/6); heavy clay; strong very fine lenticular structure (smooth-ped fabric); slickensides present; also contains carbonate/silica nodules (size 6-8 mm); pH 9.4.

Key Profile Features:

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH (CaCl2)
EC
1:5
NaCI %
Exchangeable Cations
Field Capacity
pF 2.5
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
0-10
8.1
7.4
0.13
12
4.1
2.2
0.4
12
15
41
7
37
B21
10-20
8.6
7.9
0.17
19
7.7
2.6
0.9
18
13
25
8
56
B22
20-45
9
8.2
0.2
14
12
1.8
1.9
20
10
21
7
60
B23
45-90
9.4
8.7
0.62
0.07
4.8
15
1.3
5.9
21
8
23
9
57
B24
90+
9.4
8.9
1
0.16
3.7
15
1.4
8.5
Photo: MP 34 pH
Photo: MP 34 salinity

The surface soil is moderately alkaline. The upper subsoil is strongly alkaline and the deeper subsoil becomes very strongly alkaline.


The salinity rating is low for the upper part of the soil profile but becomes medium at 45 cm depth and high at 90 cm depth.
Photo: MP 34 sodicity
Photo: MP 34 clay graph

The surface soil and upper subsoil is non-sodic. The deeper subsoil (from 45 cm depth) is strongly sodic.

The soil profile is clayey throughout.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof and Nathalie Baxter (August, 1996).

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