HBRC > What We Do > Land > Soils of Hawke's Bay

New Soil Order classification	PALLIC Occur where there is a water deficit in summer and surplus in winter (<1000 mm/yr).
Old Soil Group classification	Yellow grey earths and associated intergrades with yellow brown earths.
Common names associated with this Soil Order	Matapiro, Waipukurau, Crownthorpe, Tangoio, Kopuawhara, Atua, Te Apiti, Wanstead, Mangatarata, Waipawa, Raukawa, Elsthorpe, Mangatahi, Waiwhare, Otamauri, Poporangi, Waikonini, Mangatewai, Horoeka, Tikokino, Mokapeka, Ngaumu, Whetukura.
Physical characteristics	Naturally quite fertile - magnesium levels high, but sulphur low. Can be deficient in molybdenum and selenium. Occur where there is a summer moisture deficit (<1000 mm/yr), but where no subsoil pan has developed. Weakly to moderately developed. Texture is mostly silty with 20-30% clay content. Organic matter levels are moderate to low. Moderate to high water erosion potential by water.
Drainage and moisture availability	Poorly drained, due to dense subsoils. This is indicated by mottling throughout the profile. However, topsoils are considered well drained. A wet winter, then dry spring and early summer - or longer - affects plantings, as the topsoils lose soil moisture levels quickly. While there is moisture at a lower level in the profile, if it becomes dry too quickly, young roots, in particular, will suffer. This drying effect also shrinks the soil, loosening it around plants, causing a drying effect in the root zone can possibly kill the plant. Moderate to high plant-available water in the topsoil (18-30% of volume), but availability drops away to very low in the subsoil.
Rooting depth	When soil depth is 45cm or less, rooting depth can severely limit tree growth unless roots are able to penetrate fractured bedrock. This can lead to toppling if extreme wind occurs.

Wanstead soil, clay dominated Pallic soil

Source: Simon Stokes
Matapiro soil, shallow ash with loess and
duripan at 50cm
Source: Simon Stokes