Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.5
Examples of Special-purpose Soil Classification Systems in Australia
Practical issue
(Classification/Soil Classes)
Reference
(Section in Text)
Soil and Other Attributes Used
Soil damage on the
telecommunication optic
fiber cable network
Soil shrink-swell and corrosion risk classes: rock type
(geology), cracks, gilgai, soil color, structure
(slickensides), texture, depth, dispersibility
(sodicity), soil salinity.
Soil assessment key: shrink-swell & corrosion risk,
soil maps, vegetation, climate hydrology.
Fitzpatrick et al. (1995;
2001)
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
.
(10 soil shrink-swell risk
classes/Soil assessment key to
select cable type)
Minesoils on waste-rock and
spoil dumps.
Rockiness and stoniness, rock type, soil color and
mottling, structure, texture, depth, dispersibility
(sodicity), soil salinity, pH, acid sulfate soils,
impermeable crusts, watertables.
Fitzpatrick and
Hollingsworth (1995
)
(14 new subgroup classes of
Spolic, Anthromorphic
Anthroposols; Isbell, 1996)
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
Saline soils across Australia.
Halitic (sodium chloride dominant), gypsic (gypsum
or calcium sulfate dominant), sulfidic (pyrite
dominant), sulfuric (sulfuric acid dominant), and
sodic (high exchangeable sodium on clay surfaces),
hydrology (presence or absence of groundwater),
water status (natural or primary as opposed to
induced or secondary status).
Fitzpatrick et al. (2001;
Ta b l e
9.6)
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
Linking hydrology and soil
chemical hazards.
(29 categories or classes of
primary, secondary and
transient salinity)
Saline and waterlogged soils
in catchments
Rockiness and stoniness, soil consistence (ease of
excavation), color and mottling, structure, texture,
depth, dispersibility (sodicity), soil salinity (EC), pH,
sulfidic material, topography, watertables,
vegetation type.
Fitzpatrick et al. (1997),
Cox et al. (1999)
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
.
Linking to options for land use
and remediation
(8 soil classes).
Viticultural soils of Australia
.
Identification of restrictive soil
layers that limit effective root
depth.
(9 categories and 36 sub-
categories)
Depth to characteristic changes in waterlogging
(mottling), hard (non-rippable) or soft rock
(rippable), rockiness and stoniness, soil
consistence, color, texture and structure,
calcareousness in different restrictive layers,
cracking, texture change with depth: contrast
(duplex character), uniform (little change) or
gradational (gradual change).
Maschmedt et al. (2002)
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
Coastal ASS.
Coastal acid sulfate soils (ASS): mangroves, reeds,
rushes, estuaries, scalded, sulfurous smell.
AASS: soil pH < 4, shells, yellow, jarositic horizons,
water of pH < 5.5, iron stains, scalds.
PASS: waterlogged, unripe muds, black to blue grey
color, pH > 7, positive peroxide test, shells.
Ahern et al. (1998).
(Special-Purpose Soil
Classification Systems)
Identify actual and potential
acidification hazard.
(2 soil classes:
Actual ASS — AASS; Potential
ASS — PASS).
Site productivity for hardwood
and softwood plantations in
Tasmania.
Soil color, texture, depth of each soil layer to a
minimum depth of 80 cm or to an impeding layer if
shallower, native vegetation type and species, and
rock type (geology), elevation, rainfall, soil drainage,
tree-rooting conditions and nutrient availability
Laffan (1997)
(4 site productivity classes).
Site productivity for
Pinus radiata plantations.
Similar to Laffan (1997)
Turner et al. (1990)
Drainage and root growth.
Amount of calcrete fragments, fine carbonates, soil
texture, and consistency.
Wetherby and Oades
(1975)
Irrigation/farming
(6 carbonate classes).
Abrasive wear of cultivation
equipment
Highly abrasive soils: hardsetting, high bulk density,
ploughpan, many rough-surfaced magnetic
ironstone gravels, high silt and sand content.
Moderately abrasive soils: few ironstone gravels;
moderate organic matter, calcareous gravel, silt and
sand contents.
Non-abrasive soils: friable, no gravels; high clay, fine
carbonate and organic matter contents.
Fitzpatrick et al. (1990);
Fitzpatrick and Riley
(1990)
.
Abrasive soils.
(3 soil classes: highly and
moderately abrasive;
non-abrasive).
Topdressing materials.
Soil structure, soil coherence, soil mottling,
macrostructure, ped strength, soil texture, gravel
and sand content, acidity, salt content, soil color,
cutans, other toxic features (sulfides, metals, etc.).
Elliot and Reynolds
(2000)
Procedure for selection of
suitable materials
(3 classes: suitable, restricted
and not suitable).
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