Key Reference Sites Key Reference Site 43: 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 QKRS 43 Queensland Key Reference Sites Regolith details Regolith morphology - (SALTE 744, Obs 2) Regolith profile - (SALTE 744, Obs 2) earth earth earth earth earth earth earth material material material material material material material 0.0m A11pA11p Strength 0.1m A12pA12p 0.2m Degree of of Degree weathered weathered weathered weathered weathered weathered weathered very highly very highly very highly very highly very highly very highly very highly B21B21 weathering clay clay clay clay clay clay clay type residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual residual 0.7m Regolith (basalt) (basalt) (basalt) (basalt) (basalt) (basalt) (basalt) ferricrete ferricrete ferricrete ferricrete ferricrete ferricrete ferricrete Lithology size clay Grain Grain

B22B22 -clay diffuse clay

Regolith type Very highly weathered residual clay

2.2m Segregations Boundary 2-10% argillaceous 2-10% tubules (20-60 mm) <2% argillaceous soft argillaceous <2% <2% argillaceous soft argillaceous <2% segregations (>60 mm) (>60 segregations segregations (20-60segregations mm) ding into clayey weatheredle rock in lower part of profi none - clear clay none Coarse Coarse (6-20 mm) Fragments basalt fragments 3.5m 3.7m subrounded <2%

B23B23 (dry) (dry) very weak very strong Consistence 10-20 mm weak (dry) none - clear clay 20-50 mmrm (dry) fi none - gradual clay blocky blocky Structure subangular subangular 3.6m subangular 4.2m weak weak weak lenticular - moderate granular mm 2-5 moderate polyhedral mm 5-10 clay clay light light medium medium medium medium medium medium heavy clay heavy 4.2m 4.4m none none none none heavy clay strong polyhedral mm 5-10 rm (dry) very fi none - diffuse clay none heavy clay strong polyhedral 10-20 mm strong (dry) none heavy clay moderate polyhedral 20-50 mm

B24 brown brown dark red (2.5YR 4/4) (2.5YR 4/4) (2.5YR 3/4) (2.5YR 4/3) (2.5YR 4/3) (2.5YR 3/6) (2.5YR dark reddish dark reddish reddish brown brown reddish reddish brown brown reddish reddish brown brown reddish 4.6m 4.8m brown reddish (m) Grade Type Size B21 0.20-0.70 B24 4.20-6.40 B23 2.20-4.20 B22 0.70-2.20 A11p 0.00-0.10 A12p 0.10-0.20 Name Depth Colour Mottles Texture

6.4m 6.2m 6.4m Clayey residual material of weathered basalt; red to reddish brown with clay, zone of pale grey clay tubules in red matrix, gra June 2006 QKRS 43 - 4 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). , 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. 1.80-1.90 7.5 0.09 14 18 57 2. Cranfield LC, Randall RE, Pascoe GS (1999). 2.10-2.20 7.1 0.07 10 27 68 , Queensland, Australia 1:100,000 2.40-2.50 6.9 0.09 17 34 74 geological series. Graphical Services Unit, 2.70-2.80 6.8 0.09 19 37 114 Queensland Department of Natural Resources, 3.00-3.10 7.1 0.07 19 7 88 Mines and Energy. Brisbane. 3.30-3.40 6.8 0.08 15 30 85 3. Sorby P, Reid RE (2001). ‘Soils and 3.60-3.70 6.9 0.08 16 25 81 agricultural suitability of the South Burnett 3.90-4.00 6.9 0.07 18 23 78 agricultural lands, Queensland’. Land Resources Bulletin QNRM01014. Department 4.20-4.30 7 0.07 18 20 78 of Natural Resources and Mines, Brisbane 4.50-4.60 7 0.07 19 16 77 [Project Code: SBT]. 4.80-4.90 7 0.07 18 12 79 4. Vandersee BE and Kent DJ (1983). ‘Land 5.10-5.20 6.8 0.07 15 10 87 Resources of the Burnett Region, Queensland. 5.40-5.50 6.7 0.07 15 9 101 Part 1: South Burnett’ (Queensland 5.70-5.80 6.7 0.08 19 5 115 Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane) 6.00-6.10 6.2 0.1 <6 6 169 [Project Code: ABS]. 6.30-6.40 6.4 0.09 13 6 144 5. Bridge BJ, Bell MJ, (1994). Effect of Cropping on the Physical Fertility of Krasnozems. * calcium-phosphate extracted Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 1253-1273. 6. Bell MJ, Harch GR, Bridge BJ, (1995). Effects of Continuous Cultivation on Ferrosols in Subtropical Southeast Queensland. I. Site characterisation, Crop Yields and Soil Chemical Status. Australian Jounal of Agricultural Research 46, 237-53. 7. Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water (2006). SILO, http://www. nrm.qld.gov.au/silo/datadrill/ 8. Isbell RF (2002). ‘The Australian Soil Classification’ (CSIRO: Melbourne). 9. Stace HTC et al (1968). ‘A Handbook of Australian Soils’ (Rellim Technical Publications, Glenside, South Australia). 10. Northcote KH (1979). ‘A Factual Key for the Recognition of Australian Soils’ 4th Edition (Rellim Technical Publications, Glenside, South Australia).

June 2006 QKRS 43 - 5