Reference soil Australia 24: Nitisol

AU024

Nitisols occur mainly in the tropics and subtropics, as well as in areas with a Mediterranean type of climate. They are associated with basic rocks (e.g. basalts) or hard limestone or dolomite deposits.

Characteristics

Soils having a nitic horizon (a horizon with pronounced nut-shaped soil structure and significant amount of active iron) within 100 cm from the soil surface, and gradual to diffuse horizon boundaries between the surface and the underlying horizons. They do not have a ferric, plinthic or vertic horizon within 100 cm from the soil surface.

Distribution of Nitisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil AU024: Nitisols

Classification

WRB 1998
Nitisol
FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988		FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974
Eutri-Humic Nitisol		Humic Nitosol

Local classification:

HAS: Krasnozem, Woongarra type; FK: Uf5.21

Other classification

USDA-SCS (1975)

Paleudalf udic fine mixed thermic

Profile description

Ap 0-20 cm	(5YR 3.5/3, dry) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)clay,moderate medium angular blocky parting to moderate fine angular blocky,hard friable sticky plastic,common very fine fine pores and few pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),many very fine few fine roots,few small spherical hard manganiferous concretions very few medium spherical hard manganiferous concretions,frequent worm channels,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
Bt1 20-92 cm	reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4, dry) (2.5YR 3.5/4, moist)clay,strong medium angular blocky parting to strong fine angular blocky,hard friable sticky plastic,few common very fine fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),few very fine roots,few small spherical hard manganiferous concretions very few medium spherical hard manganiferous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
Bt2 92-140 cm	(2.5YR 4.5/4.5, dry) (2.5YR 3.5/4.5, moist)clay,moderate coarse angular blocky parting to moderate fine angular blocky,hard very friable sticky plastic,many very fine pores and many pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),few very fine roots,few small spherical hard manganiferous concretions few medium spherical hard manganiferous concretions,very few fine and medium gravel weathered basalt fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
Bt3 140-160 cm	yellowish red (5YR 5/6, dry) yellowish red (5YR 4/6, moist)clay,moderate coarse angular blocky parting to moderate fine angular blocky,hard very friable sticky slightly plastic,common fine faint clear mottles (10YR 7/4),many very fine pores and many pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),no roots,few small spherical hard manganiferous concretions few medium spherical hard manganiferous concretions,very few fine and medium gravel weathered basalt fragments,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
160-184 cm	very pale brown (10YR 7/4, dry) light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4, moist)clay slightly gravelly,moderate coarse angular blocky parting to moderate fine angular blocky,hard very friable sticky slightly plastic,common fine faint clear mottles (5YR 5/6),many very fine pores and many pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),no roots,few small spherical hard manganiferous concretions few medium spherical hard manganiferous concretions,very 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	Quaternary basalt flow
Soil Depth	160cm

Major crops	sugar cane
Land improvements ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	land clearing
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	high level arable farming
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: native vegetation: originally vine scrub 18-21 m high, including Flindersia collina, F. australis (crows ash), F. schottiana, Harpullia pendula (tulipwood), Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay fig), Pleiogynium cerasiferum (Burdekin plum), and Vitex lignum-vitae. LAND USE: experimental station since 1910; previously sugar cane farm. Site on grassed area near buildings.

Altitude	27m
Physiographic Unit	broad crest of low rise
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.	plain
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	undulating

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	moderately well
Dry From - To	0-30cm
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	30-160cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	moderate
Estimated run off (class)	slow

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

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Reference soil Australia 24: Nitisol

Characteristics

Reference soil AU024: Nitisols

Classification