Key Reference Site 7. Site details. Climate 5. Queensland Key Reference Sites. Site location. Soil and landscape correlation. June 2006 QKRS 7-1

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Key Reference Site 7 Site details MGA Coordinates: 615229 me 7363243 mn Zone 55 Lat/long: -23.83805 S 148.

(Eucalyptus mealanophlora). Land use: Grazing native pasture.

1 Key Reference Site 7 Site details MGA Coordinates: me mn Zone 55 Lat/long: S E Primary site: SALTC 342 Geology: PII - Alderabaran Sandstone /shale (Permian), Back Creek Group 1 Vegetation: Open woodland of brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) and silver-leaved ironbark (Eucalyptus mealanophlora). Land use: Grazing native pasture. Site location Site notes This reference site describes the undulating terrain associated with sandstone and shale in the Central Highlands. These landscapes support forest of brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) and are now managed primarily for their moderate to high productivity native grass pastures. This site is located on the Avocet property south of Emerald in Central Queensland and has been used to research the effects of tree clearing on soil properties (Sangha, 2005) 3. It has also been used to parameterise the model GRASP which estimates pasture growth in different landscapes based on based on soil-water simulations, climate variables and grazing density (Day et al, 1997) 4. This reference site consists of: soil and regolith description to 3.0 m measured electrical conductivity (EC), soluble chloride (Cl), soil nitrate (NO3) and soil ph. soil profile laboratory analysis chemical analysis from nearby matching sites and long term monitoring of pasture yields and soil water. is therefore a key point of reference for understanding the brigalow soils formed on sandstone and shale in central Queensland and for establishing links between soil and regolith attributes and the parameters used to model soil water and pasture growth. Climate 5 Soil and landscape correlation Name Reference Soil profile class: Taurus ZDK 2 Land system: Land unit: Cotherstone (Cr)/ Daunia(Da) Da 3/4. Lowlands and low strike ridges ZDK 2 ZDK 2 Note: mapped as Cotherstone Land System, but has closer affi nity with Daunia Land System in terms of soil type and vegetation. Compared to evaporation, a rainfall deficit is experienced in every month of the year, and annual pan evaporation is 3.5 times the annual rainfall. 65 percent of the average annual rainfall (~391 mm) is received in the summer period (Nov March), and this provides much of the moisture for pasture production. High degree of variability in seasonal and monthly rainfall means that pasture production is also variable. - 1

2 Landscape details Soil details Soil profile image - SALTC (342, Obs 2) 0.0m 0.1m A1 A2j 0.2m 0.3m B21 0.4m 0.5m Landscape sketch Daunia LS (lowlands with brigalow) Cotherstone LS (stony hills) 0.6m B22 Oxford LS 0.7m Basalt Shale (or labile sandstone) Sandstone 0.8m Landscape description Landform pattern undulating rises Landform element hillslope Runoff moderately rapid Drainage imperfectly drained Permeability slowly permeable Surface condition hard setting 0.9m 1.0m B3 Note: SALTC 342, (Obs 2) is located approximately 10m away from SALTC 342, (Obs 1), and horizon depths are different. - 2

3 Brief description Moderately deep texture-contrast profi le with dark massive loam over alkaline sodic clay. Classification Australian Soil Classification 6 Mesotrophic, Subnatric, Grey Sodosol Great Soil Group 7 Solodic soil Principal Profile Form 8 Dy2.23 Description site SALTC 342 Matching sites K. Sangha research site A10 (uncleared brigalow) 3. Soil morphology - (SALTC 342, Obs 1) Name Depth Colour Mottles Texture Structure Consistence Coarse Fragments Segregations Boundary (m) Grade Type Size A A A dark (7.5YR 3/2) (10YR 4/3) (10YR 4/3) dark greyish B sandy loam massive clear sandy clay loam massive clay loam massive % faint orange dark greyish <2% faint pale B B B dark greyish yellowish (10YR 5/4) medium heavy clay fi n e sa n d y medium clay <2% faint yellow fi n e s a n d y l i g h t (5-15 mm) medium clay <2% faint yellow fi n e s a n d y l i g h t moderate (5-15 mm) medium clay fi n e s a n d y l i g h t <2% distinct red medium clay (5-15 mm) 10-20% faint orange moderate subangular 5-10 mm - moderate subangular mm - weak ironstone fragments (6-20 mm) sandstone fragments ( mm) 10-20% subrounded ironstone fragments (6-20 mm) 2-10% subrounded gravel fragments (20-60 mm) gravel fragments (20-60 mm) prismatic 5-10 mm - angular angular abrupt clear gradual diffuse 5-10 mm - diffuse 5-10 mm - sandstone fragments (6-20 mm) 2-10% subrounded quartz fragments (2-6 mm) - Chemical analysis Soil profile chemistry - (SALTC 342, Obs 1) Exch. Disp. Total element Depth 1:5 soil/water Exchangeable cations Acidity Particle size (%) Moistures ratio % PAWC (aqueous) meq/100g meq/100g ph EC Cl NO3-N Ca Mg Na K Al H ECEC ESP CS FS SIL CLA ADMC 1/3B 15B R1 P K S mm H2O (m) ds/m mg/kg %

4 Regolith details Regolith morphology - (SALTC 342, Obs 2) Very to sublabile sandstone with minor shale; yellowish, y clay earth material with very weak rock fragments which increase down the profile Zone Depth Colour Mottles Texture Grain Mineralogy Lithology Degree of Weathering Regolith Type Strength m Size Shape Sorting A dark (7.5YR 3/3) sandy loam A2j dark greyish sandy clay loam light grey (7.5YR 7/1) dry dark greyish light grey (7.5YR 7/1) dry B (10YR 4/3) 2-10% faint medium heavy clay B yellowish (10YR 5/4) 10-20% faint orange y medium clay B yellowish (10YR 5/4) <2% distinct red (5-15 mm) y light medium clay >90% earth material, <2% medium gravel sized very weak rock fragments 10-20% faint orange C yellowish clay, quartz Sandstone >90% earth material light grey (2.5Y7/2) C yellowish moderately sorted feldspar, mica Sandstone >90% earth material C yellowish clay, quartz Sandstone >90% earth material, 2-10% medium gravel sized very weak rock fragments C yellowish 50-90% earth material, 10-20% medium gravel sized very weak rock fragments C light grey (2.5Y7/2) - - rounded feldspar Shale >90% earth material ( mm) C ish yellow (10YR6/6) % earth material, 10-20% very weak rock fragments C yellowish (10YR5/6) % earth material, 10-20% very weak rock fragments C ish yellow (10YR6/6) % earth material, 10-20% very weak rock fragments - 4

18m A1 A2j Depth ph EC Cl NO3-N (m) ds/m mg/kg mg/kg 0.00-0.10 5 0.

45m 0.80-0.90 7.6 1.16 1770 2 1.20-1.30 7.5 0.41 622 <1 1.38-1.

53 826 <1 1.90-2.00 7.8 0.42 612 <1 2.20-2.30 8.3 0.81 987 <1 1.1m 1.

90 8.1 0.32 490 <1 ph 0 ph (1:5 H2O) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1.38m C2 1.25m 1.

5 Regolith profile - (SALTC 342, Obs 2) 1:5 soil/water analysis - (SALTC 342, Obs 2) 0.12m 0.18m A1 A2j Depth ph EC Cl NO3-N (m) ds/m mg/kg mg/kg B m < m B22 Regolith type Soil < < <1 1.1m 1.27m B3 C1 Very wethered Highly * < <1 ph 0 ph (1:5 H2O) m C2 1.25m 1.3m 0.5 C3 * 1 1.6m C4 1.4m Depth (m) m 2.0m C5 1.6m 1.7m C6 2.2m 2.3m Chloride 2.45m 2.6m C7 0 Cl (mg/kg) m 2.8m 0.5 C m 2.9m 3.0m * Scale is different between photographs due to sample expansion. Depth (m)

6 References Olgers F and Doutch HF (1969). Emerald, Queensland, Australia 1: geological series. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, Canberra. Story R, Galloway RW, Gunn RH and Fitzpatrick EA (1967). Land of the Isaac-Comet Area, Queensland. CSIRO Land Research Series No. 19 [Project Code: ZDK]. Sangha KK, Jalota RK, Midmore DJ (2005). Impact of tree clearing on soil ph and nutrient availability in grazing systems of central Queensland, Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 43, Day KA, McKeon GM, Carter JO (1997). Evaluating the risks of pasture and land degradation in native pastures in Queensland Final Report DAQ-1244A. DNR Climate Impacts and Applications, Indooroopilly. Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water (2006). SILO, datadrill/ Isbell RF (2002). The Australian Soil Classification (CSIRO: Melbourne). Stace HTC, Hubble GD, Brewer R, Northcote KH, Sleeman JR, Mulcahy MJ and Hallsworth EG (1968). A Handbook of Australian Soils (Rellim Technical Publications, Glenside, South Australia). Northcote KH (1979). A Factual Key for the Recognition of Australian Soils 4th Edition (Rellim Technical Publications, Glenside, South Australia). - 6

Key Reference Site 12

Key Reference Site 12 Site details MGA Coordinates: 661374 me 7457821 mn Zone 55 Lat/long: -22.98007 S 148.57429 E Primary site: SALTC 349 Geology: Cz - Undifferentiated Cainozoic sediments (colluvial