Laterites and Lateritic Soils in South‐western Australia

Mulcahy, M. J.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.1960.tb01080.x

Cited by 64 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The boundary is most clearly seen along the Great Escarpment of eastern Australia (Ollier, 1982a). It can also be traced along the Meckering Line of southwest Western Australia (Mulcahy, 1967, p. 213), into northern Western Australia (Horwitz and Hudson, 1977, p. 126) and through the Northern Territory (Hays, 1967, pp. 185-187).…”

Section: Continental-scale Tectonics and The Geomorphology O F Australiamentioning

confidence: 96%

Long‐term landscape evolution in Australia

Gale

1992

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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The main features of the Australian physical landscape are of the order of 107-108 years old. This contradicts the widely held view that little of the Earth's topography predates the Quaternary and that erosion cycles are carried to planation within tens of millions of years. Much of the Australian landscape must have developed over similar timescales to that of the tectonic evolution of the continent itself. The study of the geomorphology of such ancient terrains may therefore be seriously deficient unless it is considered within the context of continental-scale tectonic development. Application of this approach shows that there are strong links between the geomorphology of Australia and plate movements, ocean spreading, plate convergence, tectonostratigraphic terranes, orogenesis and epeirogenesis.The most important factor contributing to the survival of ancient landscapes in Australia is the low rate of denudation which the continent has experienced during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. This is largely a consequence of orogenic stability, although the absence of significant Quaternary glaciation may also be of importance. However, in order for landforms to have survived over such timespans, denudation must not only have been low, but must also have been highly localized over space and time. This has been the case both on a regional scale, with long-term denudation rates of 0-2 m Ma-' in central Australia contrasting with higher rates along the continental margins, and on a local scale, with denudation confined to valleys, leaving divides and inteduves almost unscathed.

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Section: Continental-scale Tectonics and The Geomorphology O F Australiamentioning

confidence: 96%

Long‐term landscape evolution in Australia

Gale

1992

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…In south-western Australia, the regional pattern of soils is strongly controlled by the prior deep weathering of the underlying bedrock, resulting in the formation of the characteristic deeply weathered ("laterite") profile, with subsequent removal of regolith to variable depths in response to fluctuations in base level (Mulcahy 1967). Deep weathering has resulted in regolith profiles often 30-50 m deep with a surface cover of sands and ferricrete gravels.…”

Section: Deaths In Relation To Soil Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Drought deaths in Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.) plantations in relation to soils, geomorphology and climate

Harper¹,

Smettem

Carter³

et al. 2009

Plant Soil

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The occurrence of tree deaths in young, 3 to 6 year old Eucalyptus globulus plantations established on farmland in south-western Australia was found to be strongly related to factors indicative of poor soil water storage capacity. Seven years after planting tree survival was significantly less on soils <2 m deep compared to >2 m deep (22% vs 70%). This is due to the limited ability of some soils to store a sufficient proportion of the annual rainfall within the root-zone to meet the plant water demand in a region with a recurrent annual summer drought. There are practical difficulties in routinely surveying soils to depths in excess of 2 m over broad areas, to predict the likelihood of tree death. On the granitic basement rocks of south-west Western Australia, the occurrence of ferricrete gravels provides a useful surrogate indicator for the presence of deeper soils. In this region the distribution of soil depth and soil fertility has a geomorphic basis, being related to previous patterns of deep weathering and regolith stripping. Soils have developed on various horizons of deeply weathered profiles, formed from granites and gneisses. These materials have been stripped to a variable extent by erosion, leading to a range of soil depths. The original weathered profiles, which correspond to the soils with ferricrete gravels, comprise the deepest soil/regolith materials (~30-50 m deep); whereas along drainage lines the regolith has been completely stripped, the soils are shallow and plantations are most susceptible to drought. Knowledge of the relationship between soil depth and plantation performance allows regional indications of drought risk to be developed from regional soil mapping and the production of more efficient sampling designs for site assessment.

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“…The resulting subdued landscape of the Darling Plateau is mantled by Tertiary-Quaternary laterites and sand plains on the upland, and duplex soils in the broad valleys. The drainage systems to the west of the Meckering line have been rejuvenated due to minor recent uplift along the western edge of the plateau, while to the east drainage is sluggish, largely consisting of series of salt lakes following the Tertiary paleodrainage lines (Mulcahy, 1967;McArthur, 1993;Beard, 1999Beard, ,2000. The Yilgarn Craton is flanked to the west and south by sedimentary basins that presently form narrow coastal plains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial flora and vegetation of the Western Australian wheatbelt

Gibson¹,

Keighery²,

Lyons³

et al. 2004

Rec West Aust Mus Sup

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-Six hundred and eightv-two quad rats were located ,.lCross the Western Australian wheatbelt and adjacent regions to cover as much of the geographical, edaphic and geomorphological variation of the terrestrial plant communities as possible. The study area covered 230,000 km' or 70% of the South West Botanical Province, one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. It included all or part of the six biogeographical regions centred on the wheatbelt. The native vegetation in the study area is highly fragmented with 74'1., having been cleared for agriculture. Clearing has not been uniform; more extensive areas of bushland remain along the southern and western margins.A total of 2609 taxa of vascular plants in 103 families was recorded from the quad rats. The frequencv p,lttern followed a lognormal distribution. At a scale of 400 m', there \vas little difference in species richness between woodland, mallee and shrubl,lIld formations but those on duplex soils had lower species richness than those on deep sand, Iaterite and granik soils.Over 60';:, of taxa were recorded in fewer than five quad rats. These uncommon taxa were not randomlv distributed but concentrated at the periphery of the study area, particularly in the west and south. At least eight previously unrecognized taxa were collected for the first time. Further collections of 15 taxa listed as Declared Rare under the Wildlife Conservation Act, and 161 taxa on the Department of C'onservation and Land Management's priority flora list were made.'There was little congruence in phytogeographic patterning between lifeforms or taxonomic levels. This implies that analyses of only some components of the flora, or analyses at higher taxonomic levels will not elucidate the full phytogeographic pattern. Phytogeographic patterning in the quad rat classification, which included the 1022 most common species, was strong Iv related to climatic gradients and edaphic factors.Twenty-six assemblages were defined from the species classification, four were later combined with the total number of assL'mblages analyzed reduced to 23. Of these 20 formed natural groups that were consistent with the known distribution and habitat preferences of the component taxa. Species richness in these assemblages was modeled as a surrogate for composition using climatic and soil parameters, Explanatory power of the models ranged from 43,2 to 84.2%.'rill' present biogeogr,lphical regions and subregions defined for the studv area received little support from the ,malyses of either the quad rat classification or the assemblage patterning, !\ vailable structural vegetation mapping also showed little correlation with composition. Species pattL'rning across the studv area was primarily gradational along a northe,lst-southwL'st rainfall gradiL'nt and a north-south temperature gr,ldient, as well as a widespn'ad diffuse pattern associakd with specific grimite ,md saline associ a tions.

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Laterites and Lateritic Soils in South‐western Australia

Cited by 64 publications

References 7 publications

Long‐term landscape evolution in Australia

Long‐term landscape evolution in Australia

Drought deaths in Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.) plantations in relation to soils, geomorphology and climate

Terrestrial flora and vegetation of the Western Australian wheatbelt

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