268

Site number:

268

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1969/12/31

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Near the summit of a peak on a ridge on the Cox Peaks range, about 10km WSW from Mt Crockett, a small ledge on a steep slope adjacent to and just below a steep rock outcrop

Altitude:

1400 m

Aspect:

E

Slope:

22 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-35 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

Argillaceous sediments, dark Precambrian acid volcanics and granites occur in the Cox Peaks range; the sediments are intruded by granites

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Rocks are fragmented into flattish flaggy forms; there is distinct staining on many rock surfaces and salt accumulations beneath some boulders

Soil

Soil parent material:

Fragmented dark acid volcanic rock in fractured bedrock

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Adjacent snow pockets; adjacent snow thaw on surfaces of some dark coloured rocks and melt water in a few rock hollows

Biological activity:

Nil observed