Soil Indicators of Queensland Wetlands · 5. Bryant KB, Wilson PR, Biggs AJW, Brough DM and Burgess...
Transcript of Soil Indicators of Queensland Wetlands · 5. Bryant KB, Wilson PR, Biggs AJW, Brough DM and Burgess...
Soil
Ind
icat
ors
of Q
uee
nsla
nd W
etla
nds
Study AreaLake Wombah is located approximately 50 km east of Hungerford, South-West Queensland, on the NSW/Queensland border.
The lake forms part of the Lake Wombah – Kungie Lake group which is an aggregation of ephemeral to permanent lakes and claypans.
Lake Wombah is an example of a semi-arid floodplain lake in the Mulga Lands Bioregion.
Climate1
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecMonth
Rai
nfal
l-Eva
pora
tion
(mm
)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Tem
pera
ture
(Deg
.C)
Rain Evap
Temp (min) Temp (max)
The study area is situated within a semi-arid climatic region with no distinct wet or dry season. Evaporation exceeds rainfall in every month. The average annual rainfall for the area is 288 mm.
Landform and Inundation
Shallow lake on gently undulating sand plains Permanently inundated lake from overland flow however may become dry in times of prolonged drought
Soils2 Hydrosols and Rudosols
Vegetation3 Halosarcia spp. open succulent shrubland on alluvium (RE 6.3.10)6.3.10)
Geology4 Quaternary alluvium
Disturbance No effective disturbance except grazing by hoofed animals
Lake Wombah
Soil
In
dic
ator
s of
Q
ue
ensl
and
W
etla
nd
s Location GDA94 • MGA Coordinates : 287027 E, �794351 N, Zone 55 • Lat/Long : -28.9�115 S, 144.81451 E
Landscape Diagram
Saturated zone
Playa lake
Site 170
Outer zone
Site 172
Transition zone
Halophytic species present
Site 171 Deposition from bordering scarpment
90 m
Germination bands at different lake levels
Soil ProfilesSite 172
0.05 mA1
0.4 m
0.9 m
1.0 m
3D
4D
5D
Site 171Site 170
0.02 m
A1
0.3 m
0.4 m
B21
B22
0.01 mA1
0.05 m
1.0 m
0.85 m
1D
2D
3R
0.2 m
0.1 m
B3
C
0.5 m2B
0.3 m
B20.1 m
0.15 m2D1D
Higher organic carbon content, gley colours, low chroma values,
mottling, ferruginous root channel linings, a soil water interface and the presence of sulfidic materials
all indicate that the area is permanently reduced
Lower organic carbon
content, low chroma values, grey
surface colours and
mottling all suggest
area is periodically
reduced
Surface material is deposited by erosion from the
escarpment above the
site
Mottling is the only
wetland soil indicator present
Soil
In
dic
ator
s of
Q
ue
ensl
and
W
etla
nd
s Soil Indicators Present (within 0.3 m of surface)
Indicator5 Site 170 Site 171 Site 172Organic materials and organic carbon (OC)*
No organic materials OC: 1.29%
No organic materials OC: 0.21%
No organic materials OC: 0.1%
Matrix colour Greyish brown to greenish black
Olive brown to brownish grey
Olive to brown
Chroma (thickness of layer)**
Present (0.3 m� Present (0.2� m� Not present
Mottles and Segregations
Few <5 mm prominent brown mottles Many 5-15 mm prominent brown mottles Many <5 mm distinct brown mottles Common 5-15 mm faint brown mottles Very few <2 mm calcareous soft segregations Very few <2 mm saline crystals
Many <5 mm distinct orange mottles Many 5-15 mm faint brown mottles Few <2 mm saline crystals Very few <2 mm calcareous soft segregations
Few 5-15 mm faint yellow mottles Few <5 mm faint brown mottles Very few <2 mm calcareous soft segregations
Depth to groundwater 0.5 m Not present Not present
Ferruginous root channel and pore linings
Present Not present Not present
pH*� Mildly alkaline Mildly alkaline Strongly alkaline
Texture Silty light clay to light clay Fine sandy clay loam to fine sandy light medium clay
Clayey sand to sandy clay
Acid sulfate material Present Not present Not present
Electrical Conductivity (EC)�
Moderately saline Highly saline Slightly saline
*Organic carbon % (Dumas method) and pH taken from surface (0-0.1 m)**Chroma value is less than or equal to 2
Summary of Field ObservationsOrganic carbon content increases moving into the saturated zone, whilst there is no visible
accumulation of plant materials this can be attributed to the presence of microscopic algaeFaint, distinct and prominent mottling (Figure 1) all indicative of water fluctuation at all soil profilesFerruginous root channel linings in the saturated zone (Figure 1� are evidence of plants growing in
saturated conditionsGley colours (Figure 1� and low chroma values suggest a permanently reduced environment in the
saturated zoneSulfidic materials confirmed by laboratory testing in saturated zone indicate a reduced environmentEvaporative profile in transition zone from capillary fringe effect indicated by high EC and presence
of halophytic species Uniform salt profile in saturated zone A thin layer of red or orange soil colours exist as evidence of the oxidation reactions occurring at
the soil water interface in the saturated zone (Figure 1�
•
••
•
••
••
Figure 1. Mottling, ferruginous root channel linings, gleyed soil
colour and a soil water interface in the surface of the
saturated zone
Soil Indicators of Queensland WetlandsSo
il M
orph
olog
y
Site
170
Cl
assi
fica
tion
Au
stra
lian
Soil
Clas
sifi
cati
on
Mot
tled
, H
yper
salic
Hyd
roso
lLa
ndfo
rm E
lem
ent
Play
aM
orph
olog
ical
Typ
e Fl
at
Hor
izon
Dep
th (
m)
Boun
dary
Text
ure
Colo
urM
ottl
esCo
arse
Fr
agm
ents
Stru
ctur
eSe
greg
atio
ns
A10
to .
02 s
harp
to
silt
y lig
ht c
lay
dark
gre
enis
h bl
ack
(10G
31�
few
(2-
10%)
fine
(<5
mm
) pr
omin
ent
brow
n m
ottl
esno
nem
assi
veve
ry f
ew (
<2%)
fine
(<2
mm
) ca
lcar
eous
so
ft s
egre
gati
ons,
few
(2-
10%)
fine
(<2
mm
) fe
rrug
inou
s ro
ot li
ning
s
B21
.02
to .1
cle
ar t
olig
ht c
lay
grey
(10
YR51
� m
any
(20-
50%�
med
ium
(5-
15 m
m�
prom
inen
t br
own
mot
tles
none
wea
k 2-
5 m
m s
uban
gula
r bl
ocky
very
few
(<2
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
salin
e cr
ysta
ls
B22
.1 t
o .2
cle
ar t
olig
ht c
lay
grey
ish
brow
n (1
0YR5
2�
man
y (2
0-50
%) fi
ne (
<5 m
m)
dist
inct
bro
wn
mot
tles
none
mod
erat
e 2-
5 m
m
suba
ngul
ar b
lock
yve
ry f
ew (
<2%)
fine
(<2
mm
) sa
line
crys
tals
B3.2
to
.3 c
lear
to
light
cla
ygr
eyis
h br
own
(2.5
Y52�
co
mm
on (
10-2
0%�
med
ium
(5
-15
mm
� fa
int
brow
n m
ottl
esno
nem
oder
ate
2-5
mm
su
bang
ular
blo
cky
very
few
(<2
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
salin
e cr
ysta
ls
C.3
to
.4 c
lear
to
light
cla
ylig
ht o
live
grey
(5
Y�2�
fe
w (
2-10
%) fi
ne (
<5 m
m)
fain
t br
own
mot
tles
none
mas
sive
none
2B.4
to
.5lig
ht m
ediu
m
clay
light
gre
y (5
Y72
� m
any
(20-
50%�
med
ium
(5-
15 m
m�
dist
inct
ora
nge
mot
tles
none
mas
sive
very
few
(<2
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
man
gani
fero
us
soft
seg
rega
tion
s
Site
171
Clas
sifi
cati
on
Aust
ralia
n So
il Cl
assi
fica
tion
Ep
ical
care
ous,
Hyp
ersa
lic H
ydro
sol
Land
form
Ele
men
t Pl
aya
Mor
phol
ogic
al T
ype
Mid
slop
eH
oriz
onD
epth
(m
)Bo
unda
ryTe
xtur
eCo
lour
Mot
tles
Coar
se F
ragm
ents
Stru
ctur
eSe
greg
atio
nsA1
0 to
.01
sha
rp t
ofin
e sa
ndy
clay
lo
amve
ry d
ark
grey
(1
0YR
31�
none
none
-fe
w (
2-10
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
salin
e cr
ysta
ls
B2.0
1 to
.05
dif
fuse
to
fine
sand
y cl
ay
loam
light
oliv
e br
own
(2.5
Y5��
m
any
(20-
50%)
fine
(<
5 m
m�
dist
inct
ora
nge
mot
tles
none
mas
sive
very
few
(<2
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
calc
areo
us s
oft
segr
egat
ions
1D.0
5 to
.3
sha
rp t
ofin
e sa
ndy
light
m
ediu
m c
lay
light
bro
wni
sh
grey
(2.
5Y�2
� m
any
(20-
50%�
med
ium
(5
-15
mm
� fa
int
brow
n m
ottl
es
none
mas
sive
none
2D.3
to
.85
sha
rp t
ofin
e sa
ndy
med
ium
cla
ylig
ht b
row
nish
gr
ey (
2.5Y
�2�
none
none
mas
sive
none
3R.8
5 to
1-
-lig
ht r
eddi
sh
brow
n (2
.5YR
�3�
few
(2-
10%)
fine
(<5
mm
) di
stin
ct r
ed m
ottl
esve
ry a
bund
ant
(>90
%�
mud
ston
e m
ediu
m
pebb
les
(�-2
0 m
m�
-no
ne
Soil Indicators of Queensland WetlandsSi
te 1
72Cl
assi
fica
tion
Au
stra
lian
Soil
Clas
sifi
cati
on
Stra
tic
Rudo
sol
Land
form
Ele
men
t Pl
aya
Mor
phol
ogic
al T
ype
Upp
er s
lope
Hor
izon
Dep
th (
m)
Boun
dary
Text
ure
Colo
urM
ottl
esCo
arse
Fra
gmen
tsSt
ruct
ure
Segr
egat
ions
A10
to .
05 s
harp
to
light
san
dy c
lay
loam
oliv
e (5
Y54�
none
very
few
(<2
%� a
ngul
ar s
hell
smal
l peb
bles
(2-
� m
m�
-no
ne
1D.0
5 to
.1 s
harp
to
clay
ey s
and
oliv
e (5
Y53�
few
(2-
10%�
med
ium
(5
-15
mm
� fa
int
yello
w m
ottl
es
very
few
(<2
%� a
ngul
ar s
hell
smal
l peb
bles
(2-
� m
m�
-ve
ry f
ew (
<2%)
fine
(<2
mm
) ca
lcar
eous
sof
t se
greg
atio
ns
2D.1
to
.15
sha
rp t
osa
ndy
clay
pale
bro
wn
(10Y
R�3�
few
(2-
10%)
fine
(<
5 m
m�
fain
t br
own
mot
tles
very
few
(<2
%� a
ngul
ar s
hell
smal
l peb
bles
(2-
� m
m�
-ve
ry f
ew (
<2%)
fine
(<2
mm
) ca
lcar
eous
sof
t se
greg
atio
ns
3D.1
5 to
.4
sha
rp t
ocl
ayey
san
dol
ive
brow
n (2
.5Y4
4�no
neve
ry f
ew (
<2%�
ang
ular
she
ll sm
all p
ebbl
es (
2-�
mm
�-
very
few
(<2
%) fi
ne (
<2 m
m)
calc
areo
us s
oft
segr
egat
ions
4D.4
to
.9 s
harp
to
med
ium
cla
ylig
ht b
row
nish
gr
ey (
2.5Y
�3�
none
none
-no
ne
5D.9
to
1-
light
med
ium
cl
aylig
ht b
row
nish
gr
ey (
2.5Y
�2�
none
none
-co
mm
on (
10-2
0%)
fine
(<2
mm
) gy
pseo
us c
ryst
als
Soil
Chem
istr
y
Site
Dep
th (
m)
pH*
EC dS/m
Cl mg/
kgN
O3-
Nm
g/kg
TC**
%T
N**
%C
am
eq/1
00g
Mg
meq
/100
gN
am
eq/1
00g
K meq
/100
gES
P%
CEC
meq
/100
g
170
0.00
-0.1
07.
87.
08�2
307
1.29
0.1�
119.
5�10
.12.
7131
.�32
0.20
-0.3
07.
79.
1911
000
<10.
50.
052.
9�11
.114
.�2.
4�43
.134
0.40
-0.5
07.
89.
�12
000
230.
090.
043.
3�13
.41�
.73.
314�
.43�
171
0.00
-0.1
07.
813
1�40
022
0.21
0.04
2.�8
10.2
�.44
1.82
2�.8
24
0.20
-0.3
08.
28.
3910
100
150.
120.
041.
9412
.�12
.32.
�443
.928
0.40
-0.5
08.
35.
�57
4010
0.1
0.03
2.2
11.7
13.5
2.55
41.3
33
172
0.00
-0.1
08.
51.
4591
�5
0.1
<0.0
34.
041.
240.
450.
35�.
47
0.20
-0.3
09.
21.
3215
20<1
0.07
<0.0
31.
481.
051.
2�0.
2829
.34
0.40
-0.5
08
10.2
1320
01
0.11
<0.0
33.
229.
0513
.12.
3552
.725
*Aqu
eous
1:5
**
Tota
l car
bon
and
tota
l nit
roge
n
Refe
renc
es1.
Que
ensl
and
Dep
artm
ent
of N
atur
al R
esou
rces
and
Wat
er (
2008
). S
ILO
[on
line]
. Av
aila
ble
at h
ttp:
//w
ww
.lon
gpad
dock
.qld
.gov
.au/
silo
/ [a
cces
sed
5/11
/200
7].
2. I
sbel
l RF
(20
02).
The
Aus
tral
ian
Soil
Clas
sifi
cati
on.
CSIR
O P
ublis
hing
, Co
lling
woo
d, V
icto
ria,
rev
ised
edi
tion
.
3. E
PA (
2008
) Re
gion
al E
cosy
stem
s. [
onlin
e].
Avai
labl
e at
htt
p://
ww
w.e
pa.q
ld.g
ov.a
u/na
ture
_con
serv
atio
n/bi
odiv
ersi
ty/r
egio
nal_
ecos
yste
ms/
[ac
cess
ed 2
8/06
/08]
.
4. B
urea
u of
Min
eral
Res
ourc
es (1
971)
. Eu
lo:
Aus
tral
ia 1
:250
,000
Geo
logi
cal
Seri
es,
Bure
au o
f M
iner
al R
esou
rces
, Ca
nber
ra.
5. B
ryan
t KB
, W
ilson
PR,
Big
gs A
JW,
Brou
gh D
M a
nd B
urge
ss J
W (
2008
). S
oil
Indi
cato
rs o
f Q
ueen
slan
d W
etla
nds:
Sta
te-w
ide
asse
ssm
ent
and
met
hodo
logy
. Q
ueen
slan
d D
epar
tmen
t of
Nat
ural
Res
ourc
es a
nd W
ater
. Br
isba
ne.
6. H
azel
ton
P an
d M
urph
y B
(200
7).
Inte
rpre
ting
Soi
l Te
st R
esul
ts:
Wha
t do
all
the
num
bers
mea
n?.
[2nd
ed]
. CS
IRO
pub
lishi
ng.
Colli
ngw
ood
Vict
oria
.
93
11
66
21
80
64
3