Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 195 Austin land system Unit Landform Soil Vegetation area (%) 1. 5% Low ridges and rises – low ridges of Shallow red earths and Scattered (10-20% PFC) shrublands outcropping granite, quartz or greenstone shallow duplex soils on or woodlands usually dominated by and low rises, up to 800 m long and granite or greenstone Acacia aneura (mulga) (SIMS). 2-25 m high, and short footslopes with (4b, 5c, 7a, 7b). abundant mantles of cobbles and pebbles. 2. 80% Saline stony plains – gently undulating Shallow duplex soils on Very scattered to scattered (2.5- plains extending up to 3 km, commonly greenstone (7b). 20% PFC) Maireana spp. low with mantles of abundant to very abundant shrublands (SBMS), Maireana quartz or ironstone pebbles. species include M. pyramidata (sago bush), M. glomerifolia (ball- leaf bluebush), M. georgei (George’s bluebush) and M. triptera (three- winged bluebush). 3. 10% Stony plains – gently undulating plains Shallow red earths on Very scattered to scattered (2.5- within or above unit 2; quartz and granite granite (5c). 20% PFC) low shrublands (SGRS). pebble mantles and occasional granite outcrop. 4. <1% Drainage foci – small discrete Red clays of variable depth Moderately close to close (20-50% (10-50 m in diameter) depositional zones, on hardpan or parent rock PFC) acacia woodland or tall occurring sparsely within units 2 and 5. (9a, 9b). shrubland; dominant species are A. aneura and A. tetragonophylla (curara) (GRMU). 5. 5% Drainage lines – very gently inclined Deep red earths (6a). Very scattered (2.5-10% PFC) A linear drainage tracts, mostly unchannelled aneura low woodland or tall but occasionally incised with rills, gutters shrubland (HPMS) or scattered and shallow gullies; variable mantles of Maireana spp. low shrubland. ironstone and quartz pebbles. 195 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 196 BANDY LAND SYSTEM (638 km2, 0.7% of the survey area) (after Pringle et al. 1994) Gritty-surfaced plains and low outcrops of granite with scattered acacia shrublands. Land type: 6 Geology: Archaean granite and Quaternary colluvium. Geomorphology: Mainly erosional surfaces; low outcrops and gritty-surfaced and stony plains interspersed with lower plains subject to diffuse sheet flow; occasional sand sheets. Land management: This land system is not generally susceptible to soil erosion. Traverse condition summary (51 assessments): Vegetation – good 69%; fair 25%; poor 6%; very poor 0%. Soil erosion – nil 100%. Area mapped as sde: Nil. No. Unit name Traverse recordings Inventory sites 1 Dome 1 1 2Low rise 1 – 3 Gritty-surfaced plain 23 3 4 Stony plain 1 1 5 Loamy plain 18 – 6 Sand sheet 8 – 7 Drainage line 2 1 Total 54 * 6 * 3 traverse points not assessed for condition. 196 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 197 Bandy land system Unit Landform Soil Vegetation area (%) 1. 2% Domes – low granite outcrops and tor fields. Soil confined to pockets of Mostly unvegetated, isolated shrubs detrital sand (2a). such as Acacia quadrimarginea (granite wattle) and Kunzea pulchella. 2. 5% Low rises – low rises (about 5 m relief) Shallow coarse red clayey Scattered (10-20% PFC) acacia- with common granite outcrop. sands on granite (2a). eremophila tall shrublands (GRHS). 3. 45% Gritty-surfaced plains – level to gently Shallow coarse red clayey Scattered (10-20% PFC) Acacia undulating plains with sandy-surfaces and sands on granite (2a). quadrimarginea tall shrubland some granite outcrop and quartz or granite (SGRS), or scattered acacia tall gravel, adjacent to tor fields and low rises. shrubland with Borya sphaerocephala low shrubs (GABS). 4. 5% Stony plains – gently undulating plains Shallow red earths on Scattered (10-20% PFC) acacia- with granite rubble and weathered granite granite (5c). eremophila tall shrublands (SAES). outcrop. 5. 28% Loamy plains – level to gently undulating Deep red clayey sands or Scattered to moderately close (10- plains. shallow red earths on 30%) Acacia aneura (mulga) tall granite (3a, 5c). shrublands with scattered wanderrie grasses (PLMS, MUBW). 6. 15% Sand sheet – gently undulating plains. Deep or shallow red clayey Scattered (10-20% PFC) Acacia sands on granite (3a, 2d). coolgardiensis (sugar brother) and A. aneura tall shrublands with spinifex grass layer (SACS). 7. <1% Drainage lines – narrow drainage tracts Shallow red clayey sands Close (30-50% PFC) mallee – flanking unit 1. over granite (2d). acacia tall shrubland (CBKW). 197 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 198 BANNAR LAND SYSTEM (6,937 km2, 7.3% of the survey area) Level to gently undulating sandy plains with acacia shrublands, commonly with patchy native pines and mallees. Land type: 11 Geology: Cainozoic sand and Tertiary laterite. Geomorphology: Depositional surfaces; level to gently undulating sandplains, with common areas of plains receiving diffuse run-on. Land management: The soils of this system have an inherently low susceptibility to erosion because of their coarse surface texture. Traverse condition summary (362 assessments): Vegetation – good 88%; fair 9%; poor 2%; very poor 1%. Soil erosion – nil 100%. Area mapped as sde: Nil. No. Unit name Traverse recordings Inventory sites 1 Gravelly sand sheet 53 9 2 Sand sheet 181 10 3 Loamy plain 118 4 4 Stony plain 16 – Other 2 – Total 370 * 23 * 8 traverse points not assessed for condition. 198 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 199 Bannar land system Unit Landform Soil Vegetation area (%) 1. 15% Gravelly sand sheets – level sand sheets Shallow red or yellow clayey Moderately close to closed (20- > with mantles of few to abundant small to sands on ironstone gravel 50% PFC) acacia tall shrubland or medium subrounded ironstone gravel. (2d, 2e). moderately close heath low shrubland (LACS, LSHE) or moderately close to close casuarina and acacia tall shrubland with mallee eucalypts (SCMS). 2. 50% Sand sheets – level to gently undulating Deep red or yellow clayey Moderately close to close (20-50% sand sheets. sands (3a, 3b). PFC) Callitris glaucophylla (native pine) woodland or tall shrubland (PINW), close Acacia coolgardiensis (sugar brother) tall shrubland with mallees and low heath shrubs (SACS, MAAS), or occasionally Triodia basedowii (hard spinifex) hummock grasslands with mallee eucalypt overstoreys (SASP). 3. 30% Loamy plains – level plains, may have Deep red earths or Moderately close to close (20-50% very few to few subrounded small ironstone shallow red earths on PFC) Callitris glaucophylla and pebbles. gravel (4, 5c). acacia tall shrublands/woodland (PINW), acacia tall shrublands with and without mallees (MAAS, PLMS), Eucalyptus loxophleba (York gum) woodland with mixed low shrubs and acacia tall shrubs (PYAW). 4. 5% Stony plains – plains and partly stripped Shallow red clayey sands Scattered to moderately close (10- surfaces with thin sand cover and variable on gravel (2d). 30% PFC) tall acacia shrublands density mantles of ironstone or silcrete (SGRS), occasionally very scattered pebbles. to scattered (2.5-20% PFC) low shrubland (BRXS). 199 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 200 BEVON LAND SYSTEM (314 km2, 0.3% of the survey area) (after Pringle et al. 1994) Dissected uplands with mulga shrublands. Land type: 1 Geology: Tertiary limonite, minor Archaean greenstone and banded iron formation, Quaternary colluvium and restricted areas of Quaternary alluvium and eluvium. Geomorphology: Erosional surfaces; uplands of dissected limonitic duricrust; irregular low hills and rises capped with limonite, plateaux and small breakaways with short footslopes, extensive lower colluvial slopes, very gently inclined plains with mantles of ferruginous gravel and narrow drainage tracts. Land management: Minor areas with texture contrast soils on breakaway footslopes (unit 2) and narrow drainage tracts (unit 8) are susceptible to soil erosion, particularly if perennial shrub cover is substantially reduced or the soil surface is disturbed. Traverse condition summary (16 assessments): Vegetation – good 44%; fair 25%; poor 19%; very poor 12%. Soil erosion – nil 100%. Area mapped as sde: Nil. No. Unit name Traverse recordings Inventory sites 1 Breakaway 1 – 2 Breakaway footslopes – – 3 Ridge – – 4 Hill and hill slope 2 3 5Low rise – – 6 Stony plain 8 – 7 Lateritic plain 7 – 8 Narrow drainage tract 1 – Total 19 * 3 * 3 traverse points not assessed for condition. 200 Pages 186-237 2/12/08 11:26 AM Page 201 Bevon land system Unit Landform Soil Vegetation area (%) 1. <1% Breakaways – very gently undulating Stony soils (1). Scattered to moderately close (10- plateaux with surface duricrust with scarp 30% PFC) generally non-saline low faces to 5 m and moderately inclined scree shrublands characterised by slopes, unit relief <20 m. Ptilotus obovatus (cotton bush). 2. 5% Breakaway footslopes – very gently inclined Shallow red clays with a Variable scattered to moderately lower slopes to 200 m long, often with a stony mantle or shallow close (10-30% PFC) halophytic low mantle of ferruginous pebbles; on pallid duplex on greenstone shrublands, occasionally with a tall zone materials. (9a, 7b). shrub stratum dominated by A. aneura (mulga) and Eucalyptus spp. in the south (SAMP, FRAN, SBMS). 3. <1% Ridges – occasional ridges of banded Stony soils (1). Very scattered to moderately close ironstone to 35 m relief, with gently to (2.5-30% PFC) A. aneura tall moderately inclined slopes. shrublands (SIMS). 4. 20% Hills and hillslopes – irregular hills to 15 m Shallow red earths and Very scattered to moderately close relief, gently inclined slopes with abundant stony soils on greenstone (2.5-30% PFC) A. aneura or A. mantles of limonite pebbles and cobbles. (5c, 1), occasionally acuminata subsp. burkittii (fine-leaf calcareous. jam) tall shrublands (SIMS, SIAS). 5. 15% Low rises – gently undulating rises with Stony soils (1). Scattered (10-20% PFC) tall acacia mantles of limonite pebbles. shrublands (SIAS). 6. 40% Stony plains – extensive very gently Shallow red earths on Generally scattered (10-20% PFC) inclined pediments with mantles of greenstone (5c).