The nature, distribution and management of sodic soils in New-South-Wales

Soil Research ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 839 ◽  
Author(s):  
DC Mckenzie ◽  
TS Abbott ◽  
KY Chan ◽  
PG Slavich ◽  
DJM Hall
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clay Mineralogy ◽  
Carbonate Content ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
Sodic Soil ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

Accurate data on the distribution of the various types of sodic soils in New South Wales are not available. However, general observations suggest that large areas are affected by structural instability as a result of sodicity, particularly on grey clays and red-brown earths of the Murray-Darling Basin. There is a strong need for new sodicity surveys because the production of crops and pasture often is well below potential on these lands. Exchangeable sodium data on their own do not adequately describe sodic soil behaviour, so information is also required about related factors such as electrical conductivity, exchangeable magnesium, clay mineralogy, pH, calcium carbonate content, degree of remoulding, and the frequency of continuous stable macropores. Critical limits for sodicity that are used by soil management advisory services need to be redefined. Considerable research into the reclamation and management of sodic soils has occurred in the irrigation areas and rainfed cropping districts of the Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales. Mined and by-product gypsum, and to a lesser extent lime, have been shown to greatly improve the physical condition and profitability of production from soils with a dispersive surface. However, the responses to these treatments are less likely to be economical when sodicity is confined to the subsoil. Adequate supplies of gypsum and lime are available in New South Wales, but further research is required to determine economically optimal and environmentally acceptable rates and frequencies of application, particle sizes and chemical compositions for different farming systems that utilize the various types of sodic soil.

An aeolian component in Pleistocene and Holocene valley aggradation: evidence from Dicks Creek catchment, Yass, New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Melis ◽  
R. I. Acworth
Keyword(s):  
Late Quaternary ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clay Mineralogy ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Rill Erosion ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Development Unit ◽  
Unit Unit

Four late Quaternary depositional units are identified overlying sub-vertically dipping Ordovician bedrock in the upper reaches of the Dicks Creek catchment, near Yass in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The units are spatially discontinuous and separated from each other by erosional unconformities. They are found only on the lower slopes and in the valley floors, often exposed by recent gully erosion. The oldest unit (Unit 4) is a competent consolidated well-sorted fine to medium silt that unconformably overlies bedrock. It often forms the base to erosion gullies. Unit 3 is strongly dispersible and frequently has the characteristics of a debris flow. Unit 3 is particularly prone to sheet erosion and exhibits a high risk of dryland salinity development. Unit 2 is light to dark grey, poorly sorted, and often contains irregularly dispersed charcoal. Unit 2 is unconformably overlain by a predominantly pale yellow sand (Unit 1) that shows clear evidence of very recent deposition. Physical and chemical characteristics of Units 2, 3, and 4 suggest an aeolian component. The silt size (4–8 on phi scale) fraction of Unit 4 is often >70% of the total mass, with grain sizes consistent with an origin as aeolian dust. Unit 3 is yellow brown in colour and often has the characteristics of a diamict with a major grain size component similar in size to Unit 4. Unit 2 is typically uniform in appearance and contains a predominantly kaolinite and illite clay mineralogy that contrasts strongly with a predominance of quartz in the underlying bedrock. A simple sediment budget indicates that the volume of Unit 2 could be accounted for by a combination of sheet and rill erosion within the catchment and additional aeolian deposition in the order of 4–8 t/km 2 year. Radiocarbon dates for charcoal recovered from Unit 2 indicate that some deposition was associated with cooler, drier conditions of the late Holocene ‘Little Ice Age’, approximately 200–600 years ago.

Surface soil acidity and fertility in the central-western wheatbelt of New South Wales

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Evans ◽  
B. J. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Acidity ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
South Wales

Documentation of the chemical fertility status of the soils is sparse for the western and central-western wheatbelt of New South Wales, Australia. We examined properties of the surface soils (0–10 cm) from central-western NSW by collating two published and nine unpublished datasets of soil analyses representing about 2800 soil samples. The emphasis was on the red soils used extensively for cropping. The surface soils of central-western NSW have low phosphorus (47% of soils) and sulfur (70% of soils <5 mg S/kg using KCl-40 analysis) status and commonly have organic carbon contents of about 1%. Surface soil acidity was a substantial problem with 56% of soils (0–10 cm) having a pHCa <5.0. Sodic and dispersive soils are also of concern in this area and these soils have received little attention or research. Approximately 5% of surface (0–10 cm) soils had an exchangeable sodium percentage of ≥6% (sodic). Salinity of surface soils was of minor significance compared with other soil problems in the area, although isolated areas occur. These results indicated that lime applications in this area are likely to benefit crop and pasture production. Additional use of phosphorus and sulfur fertilisers and agricultural practices which increase or maintain organic carbon will also need to be adopted to improve pasture and crop production. The use of gypsum and/or lime on sodic soils may also need to be addressed. As a priority, we suggest that the benefits of lime application to crop yield be examined. The application of lime to the 0–10 cm soil depth should ultimately arrest acidification of the subsurface soil (10–20 cm depth) through downward movement of the lime effect. Further examination of gypsum applications to dispersive sodic soils and the evaluation of sulfur deficiency in the field for pastures and canola are also priority areas of likely agricultural relevance.

Responses of nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum) to simulated rainfall and depth and duration of experimental flooding

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
William Higgisson ◽  
Sue Briggs ◽  
Fiona Dyer
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Simulated Rainfall ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Flooded Areas ◽  
Water Depths

Nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum (F.Muell.) is a woody shrub that occurs at the edges of floodplains and other intermittently flooded areas across the Murray–Darling Basin. No studies have been conducted on the hydrological requirements of nitre goosefoot, and the species is not considered in watering requirements of floodplain species of the Murray–Darling Basin. This study investigated the effects of simulated rainfall and depth and duration of experimental flooding on mortality, leaf production, biomass and seed production of nitre goosefoot. Nitre goosefoot plants were grown from seeds collected near Hillston, New South Wales, Australia. The plants were subjected to the following 14 hydrological treatments: dry (no water applied), rainfall (simulating rainfall conditions at Hillston) and 12 combinations of three water depths (10cm, 50cm, 75cm) with four durations of inundation (5 days, 10 days, 20 days, 40 days). The study found that nitre goosefoot plants survived flooding, providing plants were not totally submerged, leaf production increased during flooding and after drawdown, and leaf production, biomass and seeding were highest under shallow flooding for approximately 1 month. The results of the study allow the hydrological requirements of nitre goosefoot to be considered in environmental watering programs.

Sugilite in manganese silicate rocks from the Hoskins mine and Woods mine, New South Wales, Australia

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (393) ◽  
pp. 671-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Kawachi ◽  
P. M. Ashley ◽  
D. Vince ◽  
M. Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Country Rock ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Alkali Feldspar ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Cell Dimensions ◽  
New Localities ◽  
High Alkali ◽  
Silicate Rocks

AbstractSugilite relatively rich in manganese has been found at two new localities, the Hoskins and Woods mines in New South Wales, Australia. The occurrences are in manganese-rich silicate rocks of middle to upper greenschist facies (Hoskins mine) and hornblende hornfels facies (Woods mine). Coexisting minerals are members of the namansilite-aegirine and pectolite-serandite series, Mn-rich alkali amphiboles, alkali feldspar, braunite, rhodonite, tephroite, albite, microcline, norrishite, witherite, manganoan calcite, quartz, and several unidentified minerals. Woods mine sugilite is colour-zoned with pale mauve cores and colourless rims, whereas Hoskins mine sugilite is only weakly colour-zoned and pink to mauve. Within single samples, the chemical compositions of sugilite from both localities show wide ranges in Al contents and less variable ranges of Fe and Mn, similar to trends in sugilite from other localities. The refractive indices and cell dimensions tend to show systematic increases progressing from Al-rich to Fe-Mn-rich. The formation of the sugilite is controlled by the high alkali (especially Li) and manganese contents of the country rock, reflected in the occurrences of coexisting high alkali- and manganese-bearing minerals, and by high fo2 conditions.

Chemical and zooplankton studies of lentic habitats in north-eastern New South Wales

1970 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
BV Timms
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Chloride Ions ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Calanoid Copepods ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
South Wales ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Sodium Magnesium

Chemical and zooplankton data for 103 reservoirs and lakes on the northern tablelands and the central and north coast regions of New South Wales are presented and discussed. Twenty-three of the localities are natural, occur in five distinct regions, and are variable in their modes of origin. All the waters are fresh, and most have less than 200 p.p.m. total dissolved solids. In general, waters on the coastal plain are dominated by sodium and chloride ions, while those on the highlands are dominated by bicarbonate and sodium, magnesium, or calcium. A total of 43 species of Entomostraca inhabit the lentic environments of the area, though many of these cannot be considered to be eulimnetic species. Only a few species (2.2 copepods and 1.1 cladocerans, on the average) occur in any one locality, this number being influenced by site size and age. The distribution pattern of the major species are depicted and discussed in terms of four factors. Altitudinal-related factors are important for many species, particularly calanoid copepods; water chemistry influences the distribution of at least two species-Boeckella triarticulata (Thomson) and Calamoecia tasmanica (Smith); turbidity has a subsidiary effect on the occurrence of species in the genera Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia; and the locality age is important for most species. The relative dispersal powers of the more common species are assessed from their tendency to be present or absent in new reservoirs.

II.—Some New Data on “Kylitic” Sills and Associated Picrites in Ayrshire, Scotland

1967 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-48
Author(s):  
H. I. Drever ◽  
J. G. MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Different Levels

SynopsisThe definition of the name “kylite” is reviewed and it is suggested that its usage should be discontinued. What is now emphasised as the criterion of most importance in distinguishing “kylites” from crinanites and teschenites is the development of a strongly zoned purplish pink augite in advance of feldspar. Basic alkaline doleritic rocks in which the augite develops in this manner could be referred to simply as kylitic. Specimens were systematically collected from the picritic sill near Dalmellington which is kylitic in type. Rocks from different levels in this sill have been chemically analysed, and also unzoned olivine (Mg74.4) and zoned augite. A vein (and the augite from it) in the kylitic sill near Troon, known as the Hillhouse Quarry Sill, have also been chemically analysed. The chemical compositions of all these analysed rocks and of the analysed augites are compared with appropriate data from, in particular, the sills of the Shiant Isles and Lugar, and the Black Jack Sill in New South Wales. Some relationships of kylitic rocks with the differentiation trends in these sills are briefly discussed with the aid of variation diagrams. On the basis of the available evidence it is inferred that in the olivine-rich Dalmellington Sill, olivine has accumulated prior to intrusion and that subsequent “flowage differentiation” has apparently been inoperative.

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