Artificial drainage affects the physico-chemical properties of salt-affected heavy clay soils in the Upper South East of South Australia

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dc.contributor.authorFraser, M.
dc.contributor.authorChurchman, G.
dc.contributor.authorChittleborough, D.
dc.contributor.authorRengasamy, P.
dc.contributor.conferenceWorld Congress of Soil Science (19th : 2010 : Brisbane, Queensland)
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractArtificial drainage has been widely adopted throughout the Upper South East of South Australia to intercept surface floodwaters and ameliorate dryland salinity. Land managers have reported a perceived decline in pasture productivity and the development of bare patches of soil at both drained and un-drained sites. This study aims to investigate the effects of artificial drainage on soil physico-chemical properties and to determine whether the observed plant decline is directly related to artificial drainage. Results show groundwater levels have fallen both with a decline in annual rainfall and the implementation of artificial drainage; facilitating the leaching of salts. Comparison with 1950 (pre-drainage) data confirms that a change in soil physico-chemical properties has occurred. The combination of high pH, extreme salinity and strong sodicity has led to soils that are both chemically hostile and structurally unstable; hence, plant growth is affected. Soil type and mineralogy were found to vary both across and within study sites; the un-drained smectite dominant soils exhibit the most hostile chemical conditions for plant growth. Nevertheless, the mineralogy of the soil governs the level of structural degradation when the soils are sodic, such that the illite/kaolinite-dominant soils are particularly degraded, resulting in the highly compacted form observed.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityMelissa Fraser, Jock Churchman, David J. Chittleborough and Pichu Rengasamy
dc.description.urihttp://www.iuss.org/19th%20WCSS/WCSS_Main_Page.html
dc.identifier.citationProceedings: 19th World Congress of Soil Science. Soil solutions for a changing world, Brisbane, Australia, 1-6 August,2010 / R. J. Gilkes and N. Prakongkep (eds.): pp.1-4
dc.identifier.isbn9780646537832
dc.identifier.orcidRengasamy, P. [0000-0002-1662-8236]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/64392
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherCSIRO
dc.publisher.placeDVD
dc.rights© 2010 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World 1 – 6 August 2010, Brisbane, Australia.
dc.source.urihttp://www.iuss.org/19th%20WCSS/Author/Author_F.html
dc.subjectSalinity
dc.subjectsodicity
dc.subjectalkalinity
dc.subjectclay mineralogy
dc.subjectdrains
dc.subjectpasture decline
dc.titleArtificial drainage affects the physico-chemical properties of salt-affected heavy clay soils in the Upper South East of South Australia
dc.typeConference paper
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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