Reference soil Australia 28: Lixisol

AU028

Lixisols occur dominantly in the drier parts of the tropics and subtropics. Their high base status is partly due to less leaching, partly to admixture from airborne dust from adjacent desert regions.

Characteristics

Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with a distinct higher clay content than the overlying horizon), which has a cation exchange capacity of less than 24 cmolc per kg in some part, either starting within either: 100 cm from the soil surface, or 200 cm from the soil surface if the argic horizon is overlain by loamy sand or coarser textures throughout. They have a base saturation (total amount of Ca, Mg, K and Na with respect to the cation exchange capacity) of 50 percent or more in the major part between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface.

Distribution of Lixisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil AU028: Lixisols

Classification

WRB 1998

Profondi-Humic- Lixisol (Hyperferric)

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Humi-Ferric Lixisol

Ferric Luvisol

Local classification:	HAS: Brown Podzolic Soil, Gorae gravelly loam; FK: Dy3.61

Other classification

USDA-SCS (1975)

Palexeralf xeric fine mixed (calcareous) mesic

Profile description

Ah1 0-3 cm	dark greyish brown (10YR 4/2, dry) very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, moist)loam,moderate very fine and fine crumb,slightly hard very friable slightly sticky,many very fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),many very fine and fine many medium roots,non calcareous 10% HCl,clear smooth boundary to,
Ah2 3-22 cm	brown (7.5YR 5/4, dry) (dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)clay loam slightly gravelly,moderate fine crumb and moderate fine subangular blocky,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),many very fine and fine many medium and coarse roots,few medium ferruginous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
Bt1 22-37 cm	yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, dry) dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6, moist)clay gravelly,moderate medium angular blocky,hard firm sticky plastic,common very fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),many very fine and fine many medium roots,frequent medium ferruginous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
Bt2 37-62 cm	brownish yellow (10YR 6/6, dry) yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, moist)clay gravelly,weak medium angular blocky,hard firm sticky plastic,common fine distinct sharp mottles (7.5YR 5/6) and common medium distinct mottles (7.5YR 5/6),common very fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),common very fine few fine roots,frequent medium ferruginous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
62-92 cm	brownish yellow (10YR 6/6, dry) yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, moist)clay gravelly,weak medium angular blocky,hard firm sticky plastic,many medium prominent sharp mottles (7.5YR 5/6) and many medium prominent mottles (5YR 4/8),common very fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),common very fine roots,very frequent medium ferruginous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
C1 92-120 cm	(5YR 4/8, moist)clay gravelly,weak medium angular blocky,hard firm sticky plastic,many medium prominent sharp mottles (7.5YR 5/6) and many medium prominent mottles (2.5Y 6/3),few very fine pores slightly porous (<40 vol%),few very fine and fine few medium roots,very frequent medium ferruginous concretions,continuous massive weakly cemented petroferric pans,non calcareous 10% HCl,diffuse boundary to,
C2 120-145 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay gravelly,very weak medium angular blocky,hard firm sticky plastic,many medium prominent sharp mottles (7.5YR 5/6) and many medium prominent mottles (2.5Y 6/2),few very fine pores slightly porous (<40 vol%),few very fine and fine few medium roots,very frequent medium ferruginous concretions,non calcareous 10% HCl,gradual boundary to,
C3 145-160 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay slightly gravelly,very weak medium angular blocky,very hard very firm sticky plastic,many medium prominent sharp mottles (7.5YR 5/6) and many medium prominent mottles (2.5Y 6/1),few very fine pores slightly porous (<40 vol%),few very fine roots,frequent medium ferruginous concretions,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	basalt, probably basal Pleistocene
Soil Depth	160cm

Land improvements ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	land clearing
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	afforestation
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: native vegetation: dry sclerophyll forest of Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate), E. vitraea (peppermint gum), E. viminalis (manna gum) with Banksia marginata and Pteridium esculentum. LAND USE: cleared hardwood areas are being planted to Pinus radiata. Some mixed farming, dairying, and horticulture. Land has been cleared for millable native hardwood (Eucalyptus obliqua) production.
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	semi-deciduous woodland

Altitude	116m
Physiographic Unit	moderately dissected plateau
Physiographic position of the site	slope
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	plateau
Slope	2%
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	undulating

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	moderately well
Dry From - To	0-92cm
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	92-160cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	moderate
Estimated run off (class)	medium

Evidence of alkali ; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-alkaline
Evidence of salt; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-saline

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Reference soil Australia 28: Lixisol

Characteristics

Reference soil AU028: Lixisols

Classification