Land Unit Master

Land Unit Information Sheet

Land system name: Willandspey

Land unit: WY3

General description This land unit represents the lower slopes of a very-gently undulating clay plain that was once an extensive lakebed. Deep, grey Vertosols (uniform cracking-clay soils) predominate. They are poorly drained, have a self-mulching topsoil, and a high salt content. Gilgai microrelief is not always evident if the soil profile is located in a depression and kept in a moist condition. Tall open forests of Acacia harpophylla (brigalow) predominate, with some Acacia cambagei (gidgee). The ground layer is sparse, and includes Chenopod species (gidgee burr), Eragrostis species (fairy grass) and Sida species (sida). Regional ecosystem 11.4.9 is predominant.

Site characteristics Landform element Average slope Lakebed 1% Site drainage Soil permeability Poorly drained Slowly permeable Flooding risk Inundation risk Low Moderate Potential recharge to groundwater Soil depth Low Very deep; 1.5 - 5.0m Present land use Grazing

Susceptibility to land degradation processes

Sheet erosion Gully erosion Wind erosion Salting Very low Very low Very low Very high

This information has been generated from the Desert Uplands Land Resource Database. The Environmental Protection Agency accepts no liability for any decisions or actions taken on the basis of this information. State of Queensland. Environmental Protection Agency 2004.

7/12/2005 Land Unit WY3 - page 1 Representative site number: 50

Soil classification Australian Soil Classification Principle Profile Form VE AD EI EP - E R R X Ug5.24 - 5/3/002

General soil description A uniform grey, cracking-clay, with a self-mulching topsoil and an acidic, saline subsoil.

Soil profile morphology

Horizon Horizon no Depth Description A11 1 0.00 - 0.02 Light clay; No mottles; no coarse fragments; Moderate <2 mm subangular blocky structure; no segregations; Clear to; B21 2 0.02 - 0.70 Grey heavy clay; No mottles; no coarse fragments; Moderate no segregations; Dry very firm; Gradual to; B22 3 0.70 - 2.00+ Grey heavy clay; Few 2-10% Medium 5-15mm prominent red mottles; no coarse fragments; Moderate no segregations; Dry very firm;

Soil chemical analysis P S H A D P h a G N o O S o i l H S l o u s m s r D r t u o t r o l s p i

a m a t g a z c t e d p a a r p v e r s k a o o p i i t i H t i e h r z s n c t e i n u n n t s n e o l o i i h i n i s

u t t i u r g c % n n r o e y t m m u

o n n s . t

B21 2 0.02 - 0.70 5.3 0.00 Deficient Deficient High 0 Very high - Severe Very low Y Y Nil B22 3 0.70 - 2.00+ 4.7 0.00 Deficient Deficient High 0 Very high - Severe Very low Y Y High

Field sites within this land unit (see technical report for original site nos.) Site code Site type 49 DUSLARA Tertiary 50 DUSLARA Primary 57 DUSLARA Tertiary 79 DUSLARA Primary 107 DUSLARA Tertiary

Summary of plant species within this land unit

Species Common name Abutilon asiaticum lantern flower Acacia cambagei gidgee*, stinking wattle, silver gidgee Acacia harpophylla brigalow*, bricklow, orkor Alectryon diversifolius scrub boonaree*, holly bush Alternanthera nodiflora joyweed,* common joyweed, native carpetweed Amyema quandang grey mistletoe

7/12/2005 Land Unit WY3 - page 2 Species Common name Aristida latifolia feathertop wiregrass*, curly wiregrass Aristida sp. three-awn speargrass*, wiregrass Carissa ovata currant bush*, blackberry*, kunkerberry*, baroom bush, burrum bush Cenchrus ciliaris (1,5) buffel grass*, African foxtail, black buffel grass, Rhodesian foxtail, slender buffel grass Cyperus tuberosus (1,5) sedge Enchylaena tomentosa ruby saltbush*, barrier saltbush*, berry cotton bush Enneapogon lindleyanus canetop nineawn*, nine-awn grass*, prickly couch*, wiry nineawn, bottlewasher Eragrostis sp. lovegrass Eremophila mitchellii sandalbox*, bastard sandalwood*, budda, false sandalwood, sandalwood Eremophila sp. - Fimbristylis sp. finger rush Leptochloa ligulata - Marsilea sp. nardoo* Ocimum tenuiflorum (1,5) - Panicum sp. panicum Parthenium hysterophorus (1,5) parthenium weed*, bitterweed, carrot grass, congress grass, false ragweed, feverfew, parthenium, ragweed, ragweed parthenium, whitetop Pterocaulon sphacelatum applebush*, ragwort, fruit-salad plant Sclerolaena tetracuspis brigalow burr*, dogburr Sporobolus caroli fairy grass*, yakka grass*, pretty sporobolus, small pepper grass Terminalia oblongata yellow wood*, yellowwood

1. Introduced plant 2. Consider for protection 3. Pending registration 4. Rare plant 5. Environmental weed 6. Endangered plant 7. Vulnerable plant 8. Agricultural pest * Wildnet preferred common name; Species in brackets refer to previously known name

Special features Implications for land use This land unit has been extensively cleared for introduced The soil profile has a high salt content below 0.7m. pasture, particularly buffel grass. The soils are also susceptible to parthenium infestation. A relatively small area occurs in the Willandspey The soil profile is deficient in phosphorus and potassium Environmental Park Reserve. although the general nutrient status is high. The acacia woodlands support high abundances of Inundation and ponding can restrict stock and vehicle particular animals, including arboreal mammals movement during wet periods. (particularly where the woodlands are near The heavy clay soils have a high shrink-swell capacity, which watercourses), arboreal reptiles, and woodland bird results in a gilgai micro-relief and serious ramifications for species that prefer a dense canopy structure. buildings, roads, pipelines and underground cables. The depth and salinity of a ground water table should be known and monitored. This land unit has a very high susceptibility to salinity, however vegetative cover plays an important role in preventing evaporation from, and subsequent salinity of, the soil surface. Brigalow woodlands (RE 11.4.9) have an 'Endangered' vegetation management status and biodiversity conservation status*. This land unit is included in Land Management Unit 12.

See definitions at http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/biodiversity/reg ional_ecosystems/introduction_and_status.

7/12/2005 Land Unit WY3 - page 3