study area - wetlandinfo
TRANSCRIPT
Soil
Ind
icat
ors
of Q
uee
nsla
nd W
etla
nds Diamantina Overflow
Swamps
Study Area
The Diamantina overflow swamps are located approximately 100 km east of Birdsville along the BirdsvilleDevelopmental Road South-West Queensland.
This area is comprised of swamps and anastomising stream channels on an active floodplain.
This study area is an example of an arid floodplain swamp in the Channel Country 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 an arid climatic region with no distinct wet or dry season. Evaporation exceeds rainfall in every month. The average annual rainfall for the area is 150 mm.
Landform and Inundation
Swamp on floodplain consisting of numerous braided streams that are seasonally floodedPeriodically inundated freshwater swamp from overland flow
Soils2 Hydrosols and Vertosols
Vegetation3 Muehlenbeckia florulenta open shrubland on swamps (RE 5.3.13)5.3.13)
Geology4 Clay silt and gravel
Disturbance No effective disturbance except grazing by hoofed animals
Soil
In
dic
ator
s of
Q
ue
ensl
and
W
etla
nd
s Location
GDA94 • MGA Coordinates : 425048 E, 7161188 N, Zone 54 • Lat/Long : -25.6651� S, 140.25�17 E
Landscape Diagram
Saturated zone
Tall isolated clump of shrubsMuehlenbeckia florulenta
Site 181
Transition zone
Sparse shrublandMuehlenbeckia florulenta
Site 182
300 m
Soil ProfilesSite 181 Site 182
0.02 mA1
0.15 m
0.� m
0.6 m
0.95 m
A3j
B21
B22
1.2 m
B23
B24
0.15 mA1
0.25 m
0.5 m
0.7 m
1.0 m
B21
B22
B23
1D
1.2 m
2D
Mottling, low chroma values and maganiferous segregations indicate a periodically inundated
environment
Mottling, low chroma values, maganiferous laminae and ferruginous root channel
linings indicate a periodically inundated environment
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 181 Site 182Organic materials and organic carbon (OC)*
No organic materialsOC: 0.48%
No organic materials OC: 0.�7%
Matrix colour Greyish brown Brownish grey
Chroma (thickness of layer)**
Present (0.� m� Present (0.� m�
Mottles and Segregations Common <5 mm faint brown mottlesCommon <5 mm distinct brown mottlesFew 2-6 mm manganiferous soft segregations
Common 5-15 mm faint orange mottles Few <5 mm faint orange mottlesCommon 5-15 mm distinct orange mottlesCommon 2-6 mm manganiferous laminaeFew <2 mm manganiferous laminae
Depth to groundwater Not present Not present
Ferruginous root channel and pore linings
Not present Present
pH*6 Slightly acid Slightly acid
Texture Medium clay to medium heavy clay Light clay, fine sandy
Acid sulfate material Not present Not present
Electrical Conductivity (EC)6
Non saline Non 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 Observations
Faint and distinct mottling to depth suggests water fluctuation throughout both soil profiles
Manganiferous soft segregations and ferruginous root channel linings indicative of periodic inundation
Muehlenbeckia florulenta species indicative of an area which is periodically inundated
Leached soil profiles at both sites with salt accumulating at depth
References
1. Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water (2008). SILO [online]. Available at http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/ [accessed 5/11/2007].
2. Isbell RF (2002). The Australian Soil Classification. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, revised edition.
3. EPA (2008) Regional Ecosystems. [online]. Available at http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/biodiversity/regional_ecosystems/ [accessed 28/06/08].
4. Bureau of Mineral Resources (1966). Betoota: Australia 1:250,000 Geological Series, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra.
5. Bryant KB, Wilson PR, Biggs AJW, Brough DM and Burgess JW (2008). Soil Indicators of Queensland Wetlands: State-wide assessment and methodology. Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water. Brisbane.
6. Hazelton P and Murphy B (2007). Interpreting Soil Test Results: What do all the numbers mean?. [2nd ed]. CSIRO publishing. Collingwood Victoria
•
•
•
•
Soil Indicators of Queensland WetlandsSo
il M
orph
olog
y
Site
181
Clas
sifi
cati
on
Aust
ralia
n So
il Cl
assi
fica
tion
Ep
isod
ic-E
pica
lcar
eous
, Cr
usty
, G
rey
Vert
osol
Land
form
Ele
men
t Sw
amp
Mor
phol
ogic
al T
ype
Flat
Hor
izon
Dep
th (
m)
Boun
dary
Text
ure
Colo
urM
ottl
esCo
arse
Fr
agm
ents
Stru
ctur
eSe
greg
atio
nsCo
nsis
tenc
e
A10
to .
02c
lear
to
med
ium
he
avy
clay
grey
ish
brow
n (1
0YR5
2�
com
mon
(10
-20%
� fin
e (<
5 m
m�
fain
t br
own
mot
tles
none
-no
neve
ry s
tron
g dr
y
A3j
.02
to .1
5 g
radu
al t
om
ediu
m
heav
y cl
aygr
eyis
h br
own
(10Y
R52�
co
mm
on (
10-2
0%�
fine
(<5
mm
� di
stin
ct b
row
n m
ottl
es
none
mod
erat
e20
-50
mm
ang
ular
bl
ocky
few
(2-
10%�
m
ediu
m (
2-6
mm
� m
anga
nife
rous
so
ft s
egre
gati
ons
stro
ng d
ry
B21
.15
to .
� g
radu
al t
om
ediu
m
clay
grey
ish
brow
n (2
.5Y5
2�
com
mon
(10
-20%
� fin
e (<
5 m
m�
dist
inct
bro
wn
mot
tles
none
mod
erat
e10
-20
mm
ang
ular
bl
ocky
very
few
(<2
%�
med
ium
(2-
6 m
m�
man
gani
fero
us
soft
seg
rega
tion
s
stro
ng d
ry
B22
.� t
o .6
dif
fuse
to
med
ium
cl
aylig
ht b
row
nish
gr
ey (
2.5Y
62�
com
mon
(10
-20%
� m
ediu
m
(5-1
5 m
m�
dist
inct
bro
wn
mot
tles
none
mod
erat
e10
-20
mm
ang
ular
bl
ocky
very
few
(<2
%�
med
ium
(2-
6 m
m�
man
gani
fero
us
soft
seg
rega
tion
s,
very
few
(<2
%�
med
ium
(2-
6 m
m�
calc
areo
us s
oft
segr
egat
ions
very
firm
m
oder
atel
y m
oist
B23
.6 t
o .9
5 d
iffu
se t
olig
ht
med
ium
cl
ay
light
bro
wni
sh
grey
(2.
5Y62
� fe
w (
2-10
%� fi
ne
(<5
mm
� fa
int
brow
n m
ottl
es
none
mod
erat
e5-
10 m
m
lent
icul
ar
very
few
(<2
%�
med
ium
(2-
6 m
m�
man
gani
fero
us
soft
seg
rega
tion
s
very
firm
m
oder
atel
y m
oist
B24
.95
to 1
.2fin
e sa
ndy
light
cla
ylig
ht y
ello
wis
h br
own
(2.5
Y64�
m
any
(20-
50%�
m
ediu
m
(5-1
5 m
m�
fain
t gr
ey m
ottl
es,
few
(2-
10%�
fine
(<
5 m
m�
dist
inct
ye
llow
mot
tles
none
mod
erat
e2-
5 m
m le
ntic
ular
very
few
(<2
%�
med
ium
(2-
6 m
m�
man
gani
fero
us
soft
seg
rega
tion
s,
few
(2-
10%�
fine
(<
2 m
m�
gyps
eous
cr
ysta
ls,
very
few
(<2
%�
fine
(<2
mm
� ca
lcar
eous
sof
t se
greg
atio
ns
firm
moi
st
Soil Indicators of Queensland WetlandsSi
te 1
82Cl
assi
fica
tion
Au
stra
lian
Soil
Clas
sifi
cati
on
Eutr
ophi
c, D
erm
osol
ic,
Redo
xic
Hyd
roso
lLa
ndfo
rm E
lem
ent
Swam
p M
orph
olog
ical
Typ
e Lo
wer
slo
peH
oriz
onD
epth
(m
)Bo
unda
ryTe
xtur
eCo
lour
Mot
tles
Coar
se
Frag
men
tsSt
ruct
ure
Segr
egat
ions
Cons
iste
nce
A10
to .1
5-
light
cla
y fin
e sa
ndy
grey
ish
brow
n (1
0YR5
2�
com
mon
(10
-20%
� m
ediu
m (
5-15
mm
� fa
int
oran
ge m
ottl
es
none
stro
ng 5
0-10
0 m
m
angu
lar
bloc
kyfe
w (
2-10
%� fi
ne
(<2
mm
� fe
rrug
inou
s ro
ot li
ning
s
-
B21
.15
to .
25-
light
cla
y fin
e sa
ndy
light
bro
wni
sh
grey
(2.
5Y62
� fe
w (
2-10
%� fi
ne
(<5
mm
� fa
int
oran
ge
mot
tles
none
stro
ng 2
0-50
mm
an
gula
r bl
ocky
, m
oder
ate
5-10
mm
ang
ular
bl
ocky
none
-
B22
.25
to .
5-
light
cla
y fin
e sa
ndy
light
bro
wni
sh
grey
(2.
5Y62
� co
mm
on (
10-2
0%�
med
ium
(5-
15 m
m�
dist
inct
ora
nge
mot
tles
none
mod
erat
e5-
10 m
m a
ngul
ar
bloc
ky
com
mon
(10
-20%
� m
ediu
m (
2-6
mm
� m
anga
nife
rous
la
min
ae,
few
(2
-10%
� fin
e (<
2 m
m�
man
gani
fero
us la
min
ae
-
B23
.5 t
o .7
-lig
ht c
lay
fine
sand
y lig
ht b
row
nish
gr
ey (
2.5Y
6��
few
(2-
10%�
med
ium
(5
-15
mm
� fa
int
dark
m
ottl
es
none
mas
sive
none
-
1D.7
to
1-
heav
y fin
e sa
ndy
clay
lo
am
pale
yel
low
(2
.5Y7
��
few
(2-
10%�
med
ium
(5
-15
mm
� fa
int
dark
m
ottl
es
none
mas
sive
none
-
2D1
to 1
.2-
clay
ey fi
ne
sand
pale
yel
low
(2
.5Y7
4�
none
none
mas
sive
very
few
(<2
%� fi
ne
(<2
mm
� fe
rrug
inou
s ro
ot li
ning
s
-
Soil
Chem
sitr
y
Site
Dep
th (
m)
pH*
EC (
dS/m
)Cl
(m
g/kg
)N
O3-
N (
mg/
kg)
TC (
%)*
*TN
(%
)**
181
0.00
-0.1
06.
50.
29�2
74
0.48
0.06
0.20
-0.�
08.
�1.
0812
90<1
0.08
<0.0
�
0.40
-0.5
08.
11.
6821
20<1
0.06
<0.0
�
182
0.00
-0.1
06.
50.
2220
410
0.�7
0.04
0.20
-0.�
08.
10.
6156
43
- -
0.40
-0.5
08.
51.
5214
70<1
- -
*Aqu
eous
1:5
**To
tal c
arbo
n an
d to
tal n
itro
gen
93
11
66
21
80
64
3