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Soil characterisation in WA (Video)

In this Soil Cooperative Research Centre (Soil CRC) video, Richard Bell (Murdoch University) explains where to find information about your soil type and how to identify key properties of soil in different layers (horizons) using augur samples or soil pits. He covers the basics of describing soil colour, horizon depth, waterlogging, soil water storage, pH, hardness, soil structure, presence of roots, compaction and water repellence and how to record the results. The video includes useful supporting resources, including A simple guide for describing soils 2nd ed (2025) which provides additional information plus a soil description card for recording on-site data. While the video focuses on south-western WA, it is of interest to soil professionals, landholders and students across Australia. Note that CSIRO’s SoilMapp app was recently superseded by Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS)  [43:14]. #

  • Audience: RSP, tertiary students, landholders, SFSG, consultants
  • State: WA, ACT, SA, VIC, TAS, NSW, QLD, NT
  • Author/Editor: R Bell
  • Publisher: Soil CRC
  • Resource Type: Video
  • Copyright Year: 2021
  • Not Provided
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Resource Last Updated: May 14, 2026

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