Reference soil Australia 21: Phaeozem

AU021

Phaeozems occur all over the world, but especially on the more moist side of the steppe regions, bordering Chernozems.

Characteristics

Soils having a mollic horizon (deep, brownish or blackish surface horizon with a significant accumulation of organic matter and high base saturation); a base saturation of 50 percent or more between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface; a calcium carbonate-free soil matrix at least to a depth of 100 cm from the soil surface, or to a contrasting layer between 25 and 100 cm; no diagnostic horizons other than an albic, argic, cambic or vertic horizon, or a petrocalcic horizon in the substratum.

Distribution of Phaeozems (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil AU021: Phaeozems

Classification

WRB 1998
Phaeozem
FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988		FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974
Chromi-Luvic Phaeozem		Luvic Phaeozem

Local classification:

HAS: Euchrozem, Burton clay loam; FK: Gn3.12

Other classification

USDA-SCS (1975)

Paleustoll ustic clayey mixed thermic

Land use

Major crops	wheat
Land improvements ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	land clearing
Main type of irrigation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	no irrigation
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	arable farming
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: native vegetation: grassy eucalypt forest of Eucalyptus crebra (narrow-leave ironbark), and E. melanophloia (silver-leaf ironbark) with ground cover of native grasses including Bothriochloa decipiens (pitted blue grass), Sporobolus sp. (rats tail) and Aristida sp. (wire grass).
Status of vegetation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	cut over
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	extremely xeromorphic woodland

Profile description

Ap1 0-5 cm	reddish brown (5YR 4/4, dry) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)clay loam,weak fine and medium angular blocky and weak coarse angular blocky,hard friable sticky plastic,many very fine fine pores and few pores,few very fine roots,very few fine gravel fresh quartz fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,clear smooth boundary to,
Ap2 5-13 cm	reddish brown (5YR 4/4, dry) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)clay,weak fine and medium angular blocky and weak coarse angular blocky,hard friable sticky plastic,many very fine fine pores and few pores,few very fine roots,very few fine gravel fresh quartz fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,clear smooth boundary to,
13-25 cm	reddish brown (5YR 4/3, dry) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)clay,weak fine and medium angular blocky and weak coarse angular blocky,hard friable sticky plastic,common fine faint diffuse mottles (2.5YR 4/6),many very fine fine pores and few pores,few very fine roots,very few fine gravel fresh quartz fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual smooth boundary to,
Bt1 25-50 cm	red (2.5YR 4/6, dry) dark red (2.5YR 3/6, moist)clay,moderate fine angular blocky,friable very sticky very plastic,common very fine fine pores,few very fine roots,very few fine gravel fresh quartz fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
Bt2 50-130 cm	red (2.5YR 4/6, dry) dark red (2.5YR 3/6, moist)clay,moderate fine angular blocky,friable very sticky very plastic,common fine faint clear mottles (10YR 5/3) and few fine mottles (10YR 5/4),common very fine fine pores,no roots,few manganiferous soft segregations,few fine gravel weathered basalt fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
130-160 cm	dark red (2.5YR 3/6, moist)clay,moderate fine and medium angular blocky,friable,many medium distinct clear mottles (10YR 5/3) and many medium distinct mottles (10YR 6/2),few manganiferous soft segregations,few fine and medium gravel weathered basalt fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	basalt
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	residual material
Remarks on Parent Materials	Inter-basaltic red clays and underlying kaolinized basalt
Soil Depth	210cm
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock	highly

Altitude	556m
Physiographic Unit	broad saddle
Physiographic position of the site	crest
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	hill
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	rolling

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	0-210cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	high

Evidence of alkali ; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-alkaline
Surface cracking	no cracks observed
Slaking of aggregates by tillage, rainfall or frost (USDA/SCS, 1979)	no surface slaking/crusting observed
Rock outcrop class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none
Evidence of salt; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-saline
Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none

You are here

Reference soil Australia 21: Phaeozem

Characteristics

Reference soil AU021: Phaeozems

Classification