Cryaquept and landscape
Soil profile: A Typic Cryaquept in the Juneau area of Alaska.
Landscape: A hillside wetland on 30 percent slopes in high mountains.
Typic Cryaquepts are the cold Aquepts. They are of moderate extent in the high mountains and subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia. They typically have an ochric or histic epipedon over a cambic horizon. Most have grayish subsoils, and some are stratified. The major areas of the Cryaquepts in the United States are on the outwash plains and flood plains of Alaska. Cryaquepts formed mostly in late-Pleistocene or recent sediments south of the continuous permafrost zone. Most support mixed forest, shrub, or grassy vegetation. Many are nearly level, but some in areas of high precipitation have strong slopes. Because Cryaquepts are both cold and wet, they have low potential for cropping.
Aquepts are the wet Inceptisols. The natural drainage is poor or very poor and, if the soils have not been artificially drained, ground water is at or near the soil surface at some time during normal years but typically not at all seasons. These soils generally have a gray to black surface horizon and a gray subsurface horizon with redox concentrations that begins at a depth of less than 50 cm. A few of the soils have a brownish surface horizon that is less than 50 cm thick. Most Aquepts formed in late-Pleistocene or younger deposits in depressions, on nearly level plains, or on flood plains. They occur from the Equator to latitudes with discontinuous permafrost. The common features of most of these soils are the grayish and reddish colors of redoximorphic features at a depth of 50 cm or less and, unless the soils have been artificially drained, shallow ground water. Aquepts may have almost any particle-size class except fragmental, any reaction class, any temperature regime, and almost any vegetation. Most of the soils have a cambic horizon, and some have a fragipan. It is possible that some have a plaggen epipedon.
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...
Cryaquept and landscape
Soil profile: A Typic Cryaquept in the Juneau area of Alaska.
Landscape: A hillside wetland on 30 percent slopes in high mountains.
Typic Cryaquepts are the cold Aquepts. They are of moderate extent in the high mountains and subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia. They typically have an ochric or histic epipedon over a cambic horizon. Most have grayish subsoils, and some are stratified. The major areas of the Cryaquepts in the United States are on the outwash plains and flood plains of Alaska. Cryaquepts formed mostly in late-Pleistocene or recent sediments south of the continuous permafrost zone. Most support mixed forest, shrub, or grassy vegetation. Many are nearly level, but some in areas of high precipitation have strong slopes. Because Cryaquepts are both cold and wet, they have low potential for cropping.
Aquepts are the wet Inceptisols. The natural drainage is poor or very poor and, if the soils have not been artificially drained, ground water is at or near the soil surface at some time during normal years but typically not at all seasons. These soils generally have a gray to black surface horizon and a gray subsurface horizon with redox concentrations that begins at a depth of less than 50 cm. A few of the soils have a brownish surface horizon that is less than 50 cm thick. Most Aquepts formed in late-Pleistocene or younger deposits in depressions, on nearly level plains, or on flood plains. They occur from the Equator to latitudes with discontinuous permafrost. The common features of most of these soils are the grayish and reddish colors of redoximorphic features at a depth of 50 cm or less and, unless the soils have been artificially drained, shallow ground water. Aquepts may have almost any particle-size class except fragmental, any reaction class, any temperature regime, and almost any vegetation. Most of the soils have a cambic horizon, and some have a fragipan. It is possible that some have a plaggen epipedon.
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...