Soilscape of Palapalai soils along the Kohala coast; Big Island, Hawai'i
The soils along the upper reaches of the Kohala coast are commonly the Palapalai series. The Palapalai series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed from basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. Palapalai soils are on ash fields and have slopes of 6 to 50 percent. Mean annual rainfall is about 1650 millimeters (65 inches) and mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C. (63 degrees F.)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isothermic Eutric Hydrudands
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Palapalai soils are on southwest, middle elevation, leeward slopes of Kohala Mountain at elevations from 760 to 1220 meters (2,500 to 4,000 feet). These soils are on all hillslope positions of gently sloping to moderately steep ash fields on lava flows that are 750,000 to 250,000 years old and very steep cinder cones. Slope gradients range from 0 to 50 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 to 2,300 millimeters (40 to 90 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1,020 to 1,780 meters (40 to 70 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 16 to 19 degrees C. (60 to 67 degrees F.) The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C. (11 degrees F.)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kahua, Kehena, and Waimea soils. Kahua soils have an aquic soil moisture regime. Kehena soils have a mottled horizon and are 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) deep over bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for livestock grazing. The natural vegetation is kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), rattailgrass (Sporobulus indicus), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and white clover (Trifolium repens).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series occurs on the leeward slopes of Kohala mountain. It is approximately 8,900 acres in extent. MLRA 160.
Soilscape of Palapalai soils along the Kohala coast; Big Island, Hawai'i
The soils along the upper reaches of the Kohala coast are commonly the Palapalai series. The Palapalai series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed from basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. Palapalai soils are on ash fields and have slopes of 6 to 50 percent. Mean annual rainfall is about 1650 millimeters (65 inches) and mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C. (63 degrees F.)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isothermic Eutric Hydrudands
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Palapalai soils are on southwest, middle elevation, leeward slopes of Kohala Mountain at elevations from 760 to 1220 meters (2,500 to 4,000 feet). These soils are on all hillslope positions of gently sloping to moderately steep ash fields on lava flows that are 750,000 to 250,000 years old and very steep cinder cones. Slope gradients range from 0 to 50 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 to 2,300 millimeters (40 to 90 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1,020 to 1,780 meters (40 to 70 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 16 to 19 degrees C. (60 to 67 degrees F.) The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C. (11 degrees F.)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kahua, Kehena, and Waimea soils. Kahua soils have an aquic soil moisture regime. Kehena soils have a mottled horizon and are 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) deep over bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for livestock grazing. The natural vegetation is kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), rattailgrass (Sporobulus indicus), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and white clover (Trifolium repens).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series occurs on the leeward slopes of Kohala mountain. It is approximately 8,900 acres in extent. MLRA 160.