Key Reference Site 43: Coolabunia Research Site
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Queensland Key Reference Sites Key Reference Site 43: Coolabunia Research Site Site details Site notes MGA Coordinates: 387113 mE 7056118 mN Zone 56 This reference site describes an upper slope posi- Lat/long: -26.53922 S 151.87243 E tion of the deeply weathered basalt landscapes of the South Burnett. Softwood scrub was Primary site: SALTE 744 cleared about 80 years ago (in the mid 1920s), 1 Geology: Tm - Main Range Volcanics and the land was used as pasture until crop- 2 Td/r - Tertiary ferricrete, red soils ping commenced in 1987. In this region, the Vegetation: Formerly softwood scrub. replacement of scrub and forest vegetation with Land use: Rainfed cultivation. First cropped mid crops and pasture has led to increased risk of 1990’s, after long term pasture. elevated groundwater and soil salinisation. This site has been used for research into the effects Site location of continuous cropping on soil properties and crop productivity5,6, for which it was regarded as permanent pasture site ‘paired’ with QKRS 40. This reference site consists of: • soil and regolith description to 6.4 m • measured electrical conductivity (EC), soluble chloride (Cl), extractable sulfur (SO4) and soil pH. • MIR laboratory analysis • measured bulk density5,6 • limited ‘wet’ chemistry including particle size analysis5,6 • soil moisture characteristics (and plant available water capacity)5,6 • aggregate stability5,6 • soil strength5,6 • infiltration5,6 QKRS 43 is therefore a key point of reference for understanding the soils formed on deeply weath- ered basalt in southern Queensland. Climate7 Compared to evaporation, a rainfall deficit is ex- Soil and landscape correlation perienced in every month of the year, and annual pan evaporation is 2.0 times the annual rain- Name Reference fall. 60 percent of the average annual rainfall Soil profi le class: Goodger SBT (South Burnett (~480 mm) is received in the summer period (Nov Agric. Lands)3 – March), and this provides much of the moisture Land system: Lt1 ABS4 for summer and early winter cropping and pas- ture production. The high degree of variability in Land unit: 36 ABS4 seasonal and monthly rainfall poses the biggest risk of crop failure. June 2006 QKRS 43 - 1 QKRS 43 Queensland Key Reference Sites Landscape details Soil details Landform pattern undulating low hills Soil profile image - (SALTE 744, Obs 1) Runoff very slow Drainage well drained Surface condition loose 0.0m Landform element upper slope A11p Permeability moderately permeable Slope 5% 0.1m Deep, red acid ferrosols, A12 loose (snuffy) surface Deep, red, acid Ferrosols, structured surface QKRS 43 0.2m QKRS 40 Deep, red acid ferrosols, structured surface 0.3m Deep, red, neutral Ferrosols sometimes mottled 0.4m B21 0.5m 0.6m 0.7m 0.8m 0.9m 1.0m B22 1.1m 1.2m 1.3m 1.4m 1.5m June 2006 QKRS 43 - 2 QKRS 43 Queensland Key Reference Sites Brief description Deep, red structured clay, with loose (snuffy) surface soil. Neutral pH throughout. Classifi cation Australian Soil Classifi cation8 Snuffy, Mesotrophic, Red Ferrosol Great Soil Group9 Euchrozem Principal Profi le Form10 Ug5.31 Description site SALTE 744 5,6 Matching sites Coolabunia ‘virgin grass’ (Cvg) Soil morphology - (SALTE 744, Obs 1) Coarse Name Depth Colour Mottles Texture Consistence Segregations Boundary Structure Fragments (m) Grade Type Size reddish brown very weak A11p 0.00-0.10 none light clay weak granular <2 mm none - clear (2.5YR 4/3) (dry) reddish brown medium subangular A12 0.10-0.20 none weak 10-20 mm weak (dry) none - clear (2.5YR 4/3) clay blocky dark reddish medium subangular B21 0.20-0.70 none weak 20-50 mm fi rm (dry) none - gradual brown (2.5YR 3/4) heavy clay blocky moderate polyhedral 5-10 mm dark red very fi rm B22 0.70-1.50 none heavy clay strong polyhedral 20-50 mm none - - (2.5YR 3/6) (dry) Chemical analysis MIR analysis - (SALTE 744, Obs 1) org C total alc total 1/3 15 xrf total calc. calc. Depth pHw w&b N exch Al alc Ca alc Mg alc Na alc K CEC Sand Silt Clay Bar Bar K Carbonate ESP CEC (m) % % meq/100g meq/100g meq/100g meq/100g meq/100g % % % % % % % % 0.00-0.10 5.9 1.69 0.12 0 4.33 3.39 0.27 0.28 11.6 41 16 41 29.9 12.7 0 - 2 8.3 0.20-0.30 6.4 1.13 0.08 0 5.13 3.52 0.50 0.20 9.54 38 17 46 31.9 13.6 0.01 - 5 9.4 0.50-0.60 6.5 0.60 0.04 0 2.26 4.44 1.16 0.11 7.53 32 13 53 33.5 15.5 0 - 15 8.0 0.80-0.90 6.8 0.28 0.02 0 1.57 4.17 1.07 0.05 5.64 29 13 57 36.4 16 0 - 19 6.9 1.10-1.20 6.9 0.19 0.01 0 0 4.41 1.01 0.03 4.11 34 10 54 36.8 14.9 0 - 25 5.4 1.40-1.50 7.1 0.20 0.01 0.13 0 3.49 1.57 0.02 4.47 27 9 63 39.1 16.4 0 - 35 5.2 Note: These are not direct measurements – they are predictions based on Mid Infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. Predictions are less accurate if the characteristics of a sample are poorly represented in the calibration set. Soil profile chemistry (Site Cvg)6 Tot N NO3-N P bic. Extr Zn ECEC Depth (m) pH OC (%) (%) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (meq) CS FS Silt Clay NB: Data collected 0.00-0.10 6.8 3.8 0.35 1.3 9.5 6.5 15.3 5 11 16 68 mid 1990’s. This site 0.10-0.20 7.0 1.6 0.19 1.7 3.0 0.8 11.2 3 12 13 72 has been cropped for 0.20-0.30 7.2 1.1 0.13 4.7 1.3 0.4 10.2 10 yrs since then. 0.40-0.50 15886 Bulk density (Site Cvg)5 Depth range (m) Depth Actual (m) BD (g/cm3) NB: Data collected 0.00-0.05 0.03 0.72 mid 1990’s. This site 0.05-0.10 0.08 0.80 has been cropped for 0.10- 0.15 0.13 1.00 10 yrs since then. 0.15 -0.20 0.18 1.11 0.20-0.25 0.23 1.13 0.25-0.30 0.28 1.11 0.30-0.40 0.35 1.12 0.40-0.50 0.45 1.13 0.50-0.60 0.55 1.15 0.60-0.70 0.65 1.25 June 2006 QKRS 43 - 3 2.2m June 2006 June Obs2) 744, -(SALTE profile Regolith details Regolith QKRS 43 0.2m 0.0m 4.2m 6.4m 0.7m 0.1m A12p A A11pA11 B22 B2 B23 B B24 B24 B21 B 12p 23 21 2 p 4.2m 4.4m 3.5m 3.7m 6.2m4.6m 6.4m 4.8m Regolith typeRegolith residual clay residual Very highly weathered 3.6m Regolith morphology - (SALTE 744, Obs2) 744, -(SALTE morphology Regolith Coarse Grain Regolith Degree of Name Depth Colour Mottles Texture Consistence Segregations Boundary Lithology Strength Structure Fragments size type weathering (m) Grade Type Size light reddish brown very weak ferricrete residual very highly earth A11p 0.00-0.10 none medium moderate granular 2-5 mm none - clear clay (2.5YR 4/3) (dry) (basalt) clay weathered material clay reddish brown medium subangular ferricrete residual very highly earth A12p 0.10-0.20 none weak 10-20 mm weak (dry) none - clear clay (2.5YR 4/3) clay blocky (basalt) clay weathered material Queensland KeyReferenceSites dark reddish medium subangular ferricrete residual very highly earth B21 0.20-0.70 brown none weak 20-50 mm fi rm (dry) none - gradual clay heavy clay blocky (basalt) clay weathered material (2.5YR 3/4) moderate polyhedral 5-10 mm dark red ferricrete residual very highly earth B22 0.70-2.20 none heavy clay strong polyhedral 5-10 mm very fi rm (dry) none - diffuse clay (2.5YR 3/6) (basalt) clay weathered material <2% subrounded reddish brown 2-10% argillaceous ferricrete residual very highly earth B23 2.20-4.20 none heavy clay strong polyhedral 10-20 mm strong (dry) basalt fragments diffuse clay QKRS 43-4 (2.5YR 4/4) tubules (20-60 mm) (basalt) clay weathered material (6-20 mm) reddish brown very strong <2% argillaceous soft ferricrete residual very highly earth B24 4.20-6.40 none heavy clay moderate polyhedral 20-50 mm none -clay (2.5YR 4/4) (dry) segregations (20-60 mm) (basalt) clay weathered material <2% argillaceous soft ferricrete residual very highly earth weak lenticular - clay segregations (>60 mm) (basalt) clay weathered material Clayey residual material of weathered basalt; red to reddish brown clay, with zone of pale grey clay tubules in red matrix, grading into clayey weathered rock in lower part of profi le QKRS 43 Queensland Key Reference Sites 1:5 soil/water analysis - (SALTE 744, Obs 2) References - incomplete data 1. Murphy PR, Schwarzbock H, Cranfield LC, Withnall IW and Murray CG (1976). Gympie, Queensland, Australia 1:250 000 geological Depth pH EC Cl NO3-N SO4-S* series, Department of Mines, Geological (m) - dS/m mg/kg mg/kg mg/kg Survey of Queensland, Brisbane.