MySoil: Calcareous loamy earths (Salmon Gums)

Fine, often calcareous sandy loam to clay loam grading to calcareous sandy clay loam to light clay. Often found in complex associations downwind of salt lakes and at margins of, and interspersed through, clayey gilgai (crabhole) plains. Boron, salinity, crusting and hardsetting are the dominant production issues.

Broadscale map (1:250 000) of the Salmon Gums Agzone showing the distribution of calcareous loamy earths. The majority of the region shows them occupying 10-25% from Cascade to Salmon Gums with some areas of 25-50% and 3-10%.
A stylised diagram of the soil profile showing the topsoil and subsoil layers for calcareous loamy earth for soil group 542. The soil profile consists of calcareous loam throughout and may grade to calcareous clay from 30cm.
Soil pit showing the profile of calcareous loamy earth (soil group 542) in the Salmon Gums region. The soil profile shows loamy soil.

Summary

Table 1 Calcareous loamy earths summary
Occurrence Salmon Gums Mallee (19%)

Soil Groups of Western Australia (WA)

542 Calcareous loamy earth
Also known as

Kopi soil, Morrell soil, Beete soil, Dundas soil, Geordie soil, Karlsberg soil, Kumarl (light) soil
Australian soil classifications

(Litho-, Supra, Hyper-) Calcic Calcarosol,

Distinguishing features

Topsoil

  • Loamy surface that often appears powdery when dry.
  • Highly wind erodible (fine texture precludes sand blasting).
  • Less calcareous topsoils become hardsetting when dry.
  • Eroded surfaces often contain exposed limestone nodules.

Subsoil

  • Loamy to clay subsoils with limestone.
  • Highly alkaline, saline and boron toxic.

Constraints

The following data has been derived from actual site samples taken. These results are recorded in this Excel spreadsheet.

Table 2 Common management constraints key
Rating Limitation
Not applicable (n/a) No constraints identified
Minor Minor constraint - reduces crop yields in some years
Major Major constraint - reduces crop yields in most years
Severe Severe constraint - will always reduce crop yields
Table 3 Management constraints for calcareous loamy earth

Soil Group of WA

542 Calcareous loamy earths*

542 Calcareous loamy earths*
Constraints Topsoil Subsoil
Acidity and aluminium toxicity n/a

n/a
Salinity

n/a

 Severe
Sodicity and alkalinity

n/a

 Major
Boron toxicity

n/a

 Severe
Poor nutrient retention

n/a

n/a
Aggregate stability Major Major
Compaction and hard layers

n/a

n/a
Hard setting and crusting Major

n/a
Water repellence

n/a

n/a
Plant available water

n/a

 Major
Water-logging (seasonal)

n/a

n/a
Wind erosion (seasonal) Minor

n/a
Water erosion (seasonal)

n/a

n/a

*Note - Data derived from site identifications (ID's).

  • Soil Group of WA - 542 Calcareous loamy earth site ID includes Beete.

Further information

Department of Agriculture and Food (2013) Report card on sustainable natural resource use in agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

McArthur, WM (2004) Reference Soils of South-western Australia (Reprint). Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Moore, G (2004) Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soils. Bulletin 4343. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Overheu, T Muller, PG, Gee, ST and Moore, GA (1993) Esperance Land Resource Survey. Land Resources Series No. 8. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia.

Overheu, T Nicholas, B and Needham, P (1996). Soil Information Sheet for the Mallee Area, Mount Beaumont: Karlsberg Soil Series. Agriculture Western Australia.

Scholz, GGH and Smolinski, HJ (1996) Soils of the Mount Beaumont area. Land Resources Series No. 7. Agriculture Western Australia

Schoknecht, N and Pathan, S (2013) Soil Groups of Western Australia. Resource Management Technical Report 380. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

See also

MySoil

Further information

Soils

Topics

Page last updated: Wednesday, 18 November 2015 - 9:23am