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The soil survey of the Northern Emirates (Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Ajman), United Arab Emirates (UAE) was conducted during 2010 – 2012. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) implemented the Soil Survey through GRM International. The project was funded by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and its objective was to develop a digital soil information repository to aid in broad land-use planning and agricultural expansion in the Northern Emirates.
The survey used Geographic Information Systems, satellite image processing, and field mapping to produce a Soil Information System. Scientific and technical standards, including the soil classification system and nomenclature, were based on those of the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service. These standards have been used in other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, State of Kuwait, State of Qatar, and more recently in the Abu Dhabi soil survey project in the UAE. The project was completed at scale of 1:50,000.
A number of thematic maps, including suitability for irrigated agriculture, salinity, and current land use, were generated as part of the project. The Abu Dhabi Soils Information System (ADSIS) was expanded and enhanced and renamed to United Arab Emirates Soils Information System (UAESIS), to assist in the storage, processing, retrieval, and management of the national soil-related information.
Information from the soil survey is expected to be used by various groups, including the agricultural farming community, decision makers, land-use planners, officials, engineers, and environmental impact assessors. Conservationists and specialists in recreation, wildlife management, waste disposal, and pollution control will also use the soil information to help understand, protect and enhance the environment.
The report and maps provide a detailed assessment and account of soil in the Northern Emirates and are a fitting accompaniment to the Soil Survey of the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
Finally, the project produced a national soil map of the United Arab Emirates, by compiling results from this survey, the soil survey of Abu Dhabi completed in 2010, and the soil map of Dubai developed in 2003.
For more information about describing soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For additional information about soil classification using Soil Taxonomy, visit:
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Typic Argixerolls. (Soil Survey of Pinnacles National Monument, California; by Ken Oster, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Typical landscape of Argixerolls on hills in the Central California Coast Range Major Land Resource Area at elevation of 980 to 2,490 feet. Overstory vegetation is Chamise and understory vegetation is Bushy spikemoss, black sage, wild oat, and California buckwheat.
Argixerolls are the Xerolls that have a relatively thin argillic horizon or one in which the percentage of clay decreases rapidly with increasing depth. Generally, the mollic epipedon is very dark brown and the argillic horizon is dark brown. Argixerolls formed mostly in mid-Pleistocene or earlier deposits or on surfaces of Tertiary age. Slopes range from nearly level to very steep. The natural vegetation is mostly grasses and shrubs, but some of the soils support coniferous forest vegetation with a grass and shrub understory and some have an open forest or savanna.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA7...
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Alo series. The photo was taken in late winter with a moist soil and cracks closed. Clay soil materials extend to a depth of 89 centimeters (to the paralithic contact of sandstone that is slightly lighter in color). Alo soils are very similar to Almont soils. These are expansive soils, swelling in winter and cracking upon drying in late spring, summer, and early fall.
Landscape: A typical landscape of Alo and Altamont soils with characteristic rounded hills. Alo soils are the higher, steeper slope segments, and the deeper Altamont soils are on the lower and less sloping areas.
The Alo sereis was created when the Altamont series was split into two series. Soils deeper than 40 inches to a paralithic contact were retained in the Altamont series. Soils less than 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact were placed in the Alo series. The Alo series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils. They formed in material weathered from shale or sandstone on mountains. Alo soils have slopes of 2 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 61 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Aridic Haploxererts
Depth to a paralithic contact of shale is 24 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 60 to 66 F. at 20 inch depth. From about late April or May until November the soils are continuously dry and cracks 1/2 to 2 inches wide extend from the surface to a depth of 20 inches or more. The rest of the year the soils are moist in some or all parts below 5 inches and the cracks are closed. Few to many slickensides are present in some part from near the surface to near the contact with soft shale.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for livestock grazing with small areas used for the production of small grains, hay and specialty crops. Vegetation in uncultivated areas is annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coast Range in central and southern California. The soils are of moderate extent in MLRA-15.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/san...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ALO.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Helena series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in residuum weathered from a mixture of felsic, intermediate, or mafic igneous or high-grade metamorphic rocks, such as aplitic granite or granite gneiss that is cut by dykes of gabbro and diorite, or mixed with hornblende schist or hornblende gneiss. These soils are on broad ridges and toeslopes of the Piedmont uplands. Slope is dominantly between 2 to 10 percent but ranges from 0 to 15 percent. Near the type location, mean annual precipitation is 46 inches, and mean annual temperature is 61 degrees F.
Taxonomic class: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Aquic Hapludults
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Mostly cultivated
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--tobacco, corn, soybean, small grain, and vegetables. Dominant forest vegetation includes a mix of hardwood and pine. Native species include loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, sweetgum, willow oak, red oak, white oak, yellow-poplar, and American elm. Understory species include sourwood, flowering dogwood, winged elm, eastern cedar, hophornbean, eastern redbud, and sassafrass.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Appling soils--are well drained and have a low shrink-swell potential
Cecil soils--are well drained, have a red subsoil, and have a low shrink-swell potential
Cullen soils--are well drained, have a red subsoil, and have a low shrink-swell potential
Durham soils--have less clay in the subsoil
Enon soils--are well-drained and have a higher base saturation
Hard Labor--soils have a moderate shrink-swell potential
Iredell soils--have a higher base saturation
Louisburg soils--are well drained and have less clay in the subsoil
Mecklenburg soils--are well drained, have a red subsoil, and have a higher base saturation
Pacolet soils--are well drained, have a red subsoil, and have a low shrink-swell potential
Rion soils--are well drained and have less clay in the subsoil
Santuc soils--have less clay in the subsoil
Sedgefield soils--have a higher base saturation
Vance soils--are well drained.
Wedowee soils--are well drained and have a low shrink-swell potential
Wilkes soils--are well drained, have a higher base saturation, and have a depth to paralithic contact of less than 20 inches
Worsham soils--are poorly drained
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/H/HELENA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Prade very cobbly clay in an area of Prade-Tarrant complex, 2 to 5 percent slopes. Prade soils are very shallow or shallow to a petrocalcic layer. The Bkm horizon is at a depth of 25 to 45 centimeters and the Cr layer is below 45 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Edwards and Real Counties, Texas; by Wayne J. Gabriel, Dr. Lynn E. Loomis, and James A. Douglass II Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Prade series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in clayey residuum over marl and soft limestone bedrock. These soils are on gently sloping undulating plains on dissected plateaus. Slopes range from 1 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 787 mm (31 in), and mean annual air temperature is about 17.8 degrees C (64 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, thermic, shallow Petrocalcic Calciustolls
Depth to the petrocalcic horizon: 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in)
Depth to paralithic contact: 18 to 53 cm (7 to 21 in)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as rangeland. Native plants now growing on these soils are evax, Texas wintergrass, hairy tridens, sideoats grama, red grama, cedar sedge, fall witchgrass, threeawn, Hall's panicum, little bluestem, twinleaf senna, dogweed, greenbriar, Linheimer's muhly, sacahuista, twistleaf yucca, smooth yucca, Scribner's panicum, Texas grama, common curlymesquite, croton, seep muhly, Canada wildrye, dutchman's britches, hairy grama, knotleaf stemflower, plains lovegrass, prairie coneflower, snoutbean, bundleflower, silver bluestem, and tasajillo. Native woody plants are agarito, blueberry cedar, pricklypear, vasey oak, Texas persimmon, Spanish oak, evergreen sumac, green condalia, hackberry, and scattered liveoak and mesquite mainly growing on bands of limestone outcrops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In Southwest Texas, mainly in the Edwards Plateau. The series is of moderate extent. These soils were formerly included in the Tarrant and Eola series.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX607/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PRADE.html
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The Alford series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess. These soils are commonly on loess hills and less commonly on outwash plains. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Hapludalfs
Alford soils are commonly on summits, shoulders and backslopes of loess hills, and less commonly on broad swells of outwash plains. Alford soils formed in 203 to more than 366 cm (80 to more than 144 inches) of loess and commonly overlie other landforms. In places, this soil formed completely in loess of the Peorian interglacial stage. In other places the upper part of the soil formed in Peorian loess, and the lower part formed in a loess member that has a sand content higher than the Peorian and is known locally as "gritty loess".
Most nearly level to sloping areas are used to grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and legume-grass mixtures for hay and pasture. Steeper areas are used for permanent pasture or woodland. Native vegetation is forest. Maple, yellow-poplar, oak, and hickory are the dominant species.
For additional information about Kentucky soils, visit:
uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_book/4/
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ALFORD.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Brazoria clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, rarely flooded. The profile is comprised of red clayey sediments. A buried A horizon is at a depth of about 175 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Colorado County, Texas; by Samuel E. Brown, Jr., Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Brazoria series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils formed in clayey alluvial sediments on the flood plains of the Brazos and Colorado Rivers. These gently to moderate sloping soils occur on flood plains of the Coastal Plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation range from 1092 to 1397 mm (43 to 55 in), and mean annual air temperature is about 19.5 to 21.7 degrees C (67 to 71 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Chromic Hapluderts
Soil Moisture: Udic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is not dry in any part for as long as 90 days in normal years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.2 degrees C (71 to 72 degrees F)
Vertic features: 13 to 203 cm (5 to 80 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 60.0 to 72 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used as cropland for production of cotton, sorghum, corn, and soybeans. Some areas are used for improved pasture of bermudagrass, dallisgrass, and white clover. Native vegetation is pecan, elm, hackberry, oak, and ash trees and mid and tall grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mainly along the lower reaches of the Brazos and Colorado Rivers; Land Resource Region-T; MLRA-150A. The series is of large extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX089/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BRAZORIA.html
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A representative soil profile of the Knolle fine sand. The sandy clay loam subsoil has prismatic structure and decreases in clay content with depth. (Soil Survey of Fayette County, Texas; by Dennis D. Ressel and Samuel E. Brown, Jr., Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Knolle series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that have formed in thick beds of sandy and loamy material weathered from sandstone. These soils are on gently to moderately sloping convex ridges. Slope is dominantly 2 to 5 percent but ranges from 1 to 8 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, superactive, thermic Ultic Haplustalfs
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for improved pasture. Very few areas support woody vegetation. Native grasses were mainly little bluestem, indiangrass, sideoats grama, and annual grasses, with some pricklypear and bullnettle.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast central Texas. The series is of small extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX149/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/K/KNOLLE.html
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Plate 36: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for the Al Hamra series (soil AD235).
Taxonomic Classification: Petrogypsic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic, shallow (USDA-Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 11th Edition, 2010)
Updated Taxonomic Classification: Petrogypsic Lithic Haplosalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic (UAE-Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2014)
The Al Hamra series is a shallow sandy soil overlying a petrogypsic layer. The soils are typically well to excessively drained. They occur on flats and depressions within level to gently undulating deflation and sabkha plains. They are formed from eolian sands that overlie petrogypsic materials.
These soils predominantly occur on depressions and flats within level to gently undulating deflation and sabkha plains. They are formed from eolian sands that overlie petrogypsic materials.
These soils are used for rangeland grazing of camels though vegetation cover is frequently less than 5% and often absent. Common vegetation species recorded are Haloxylon salicornicum with occasional Zygophyllum spp.
This soil has been described from the northern part of the Ghayathi sub-area and is also relatively common within the As Sila’ sub-area. Occasional sites have also been described in the Al Ain subarea. The main feature of this soil is the shallow depth (<50cm) to a petrogypsic horizon and the high salinity levels in the soil overlying the hardpan. The soil material above the hardpan is sandy and also contains gypsum. The high level of salinity and limited depth to the hardpan layer are major constraints to the irrigable use of this soil. Limited depth to the hardpan layer restricts water movement, moisture retention and presents a barrier to root development further restricting the availability of nutrients. This soil is considered unsuitable for irrigated agriculture.
A representative soil profile of the Spickert series, terrace phase. (Soil Survey of Floyd County, Indiana; by Steven W. Neyhouse, Byron G. Nagel, and Dena L. Marshall, Natural Resources Conservation Service).
The Spickert series consists of deep or very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in loess and the underlying residuum from siltstone on hills. They are moderately deep to a fragipan. Slopes range from 2 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1092 mm (43 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Typic Fragiudults
The classification of this series is placed in the Fragiudult great group, and the subgroup would be Oxyaquic if it was recognized in Soil Taxonomy. Base saturation lab data runs between 24 and 46 percent. Base saturation determined by field kits also shows the base status goes above and below 35 percent, but is dominantly below 35 percent at the critical depth.
Depth to a fragipan: 51 to 91 cm (20 to 36 inches), except severely eroded
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
pedons range from 30 to 51 cm (12 to 20 inches)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 inches)
Depth to bedrock (lithic contact): dominantly from 152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 inches), but ranges from 127 to 229 cm (50 to 90 inches)
Rock fragments are dominantly strongly cemented or very strongly cemented siltstone channers.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in forest or are used for hay and pasture. A few areas are used for growing cultivated crops, mainly corn and soybeans. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Indiana. The series is of moderate extent in the east part of MLRA 120C in Indiana.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/indiana/IN043/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SPICKERT.html
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A representative soil profile of Drake soils, 1 to 8 percent slopes, showing various layers of soil deposition and accumulations of secondary calcium carbonate throughout the soil profile. (Soil Survey of Deaf Smith County, Texas; by Thomas C. Byrd, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Drake series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on linear or curvilinear playa dunes. These soils formed in calcareous, loamy eolian deposits of Quaternary age. Slope ranges from 1 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 483 mm (19 in), and mean annual air temperature is 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Calciustepts
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 220 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist September through November and March through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 13 to 51 cm (5 to 20 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in).
Solum thickness: More than 203 cm (80 in).
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent silicate clay
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used primarily for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation includes mid and tall grasses with a lesser short grass component and a few woody plants. Forbs also occur but are not abundant. Grasses include sideoats and blue gramas, buffalograss, western wheatgrass, alkali sacaton, vine-mesquite, and small amounts of switchgrass. Other species include prairieclover, sensitivebrier, wild alfalfa, daleas, fourwing saltbrush, and cholla. Where cropped, the principal crops are cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat. This soil has been correlated to the High Lime (R077CY026TX) ecological site in MLRA-77C.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77C in LRR H) of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. The soil is moderately extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX117/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DRAKE.html
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The Dixonville series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in clayey colluvium and residuum derived from basalt. Dixonville soils are on hills. Slopes are 3 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Ultic Argixerolls
The mean annual soil temperature is 51 to 56 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry between 4 and 12 inches for 45 to 60 consecutive days during the summer months within MLRA 2 but ranges to 90 days in MLRA 5. Depth weakly or moderately cemented basalt bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. The solum is 20 to 40 inches thick. The pscs has 40 to 55 percent clay, 0 to 35 percent rock fragments and 0 to 10 percent pararock fragments. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 36 inches thick.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for native pasture, hay, small grains, row crops, sweet cherries, filberts, and woodland. Oregon white oak and Douglas fir dominate the tree canopy. Other species are bigleaf maple and grand fir. The understory vegetation is western brackenfern, common snowberry, western hazelnut, Pacific poison-oak, and baldhip rose.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Foot slopes of the Coast Range and Cascade Range in western Oregon; MLRA 2, 5. The series is moderately extensive.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DIXONVILLE.html
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A representative soil profile of a Cambisol from the Hungarian Soil Classification System (HSCS) by Prof. Blaskó Lajos (2008).
For more information about these soils, visit:
regi.tankonyvtar.hu/hu/tartalom/tamop425/0032_talajtan/ch...
CAMBISOLS: Soil that is only moderately developed on account of limited age or rejuvenation of the soil material (from the Latin cambiare meaning to change). A Cambisol is a young soil. Pedogenic processes are evident from colour development and/or structure formation below the surface horizon. Cambisols occur in a wide variety of environments around the world and under all many kinds of vegetation. Commonly referred to as brown soil, Braunerde (Germany), Sols bruns (France) or Brunizems (Russia). The USDA Soil Taxonomy classifies Cambisols as Inceptisols They cover 12 percent of Europe.
The current Hungarian Soil Classification System (HSCS) was developed in the 1960s, based on the genetic principles of Dokuchaev. The central unit is the soil type grouping soils that were believed to have developed under similar soil forming factors and processes. The major soil types are the highest category which groups soils based on climatic, geographical and genetic bases. Subtypes and varieties are distinguished according to the assumed dominance of soil forming processes and observable/measurable morphogenetic properties.
A soil profile of a Fragiudalf in Tennessee. This soil has a firm, dense, fragipan with prismatic structure below a depth of about 60 cm. The gray vertical penetrations of soil material consist of friable, eluvial silt coatings surrounding the browner, clay-enriched soil material of the dense prism interiors. Percolating water tends to move downward through the gray seams. (Soil Survey Staff. 2015. Illustrated guide to Soil Taxonomy. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, Nebraska)
Fragiudalfs have a fragipan (firm and brittle but not cemented layer) within a depth of 100 cm. They commonly have an argillic (clay accumulation) or cambic (minimal soil development) subsoil horizon above the fragipan. Redoximorphic features (gray and red mottled color pattern) are in many pedons, starting at a depth 50 to 100 cm. Ground water is perched seasonally above the fragipan, and a thin eluvial horizon commonly is directly above the fragipan.
Most Fragiudalfs in the United States are on gentle slopes and formed, at least in part, in silty or loamy deposits. The deposits are largely of late-Pleistocene age. The fragipan formed in an older buried soil in some areas. A fragipan seems to form if the burial was to a depth of about 50 to 75 cm. Temperature regimes are mostly cold to warm. In the United States, the native vegetation on these soils was primarily a broadleaf deciduous forest.
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...
Plate 11: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for the Ghuweifat series (soil AD211).
Taxonomic classification: Leptic Haplogypsids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic
The Ghuweifat series is a very deep sandy soil. The soils are typically moderately well to excessively drained. They occur on flats and gentle slopes within level to gently undulating deflation plains. They are formed from eolian sands and occur in older landscapes.
These soils are used for rangeland grazing of camels though vegetation cover is frequently less than 5%. Common vegetation species recorded include Haloxylon salicornicum, Zygophyllum spp. and Stipagrostis plumosa.
This soil is common throughout the As Sila’ sub-area and the northern part of the Ghayathi subarea. Occasional sites have been described from the Al Ain sub-area.
The main feature of this soil is the deep, sandy profile that contains accumulations of gypsum virtually from the soil surface. This profile also contains a petrogypsic layer at depth but this is not diagnostic for this series. The shallow depth to, and quantity of, gypsum are the main issues affecting management for irrigated agriculture. Under irrigation subsidence may be a problem as gypsum is leached from the profile. The presence of gypsum may also be an indicator of possible salinity problems. This soil is unsuitable for irrigated agriculture.
A representative soil profile of the Zohner series. (Soil Survey of Teton Area, Idaho and Wyoming; by Carla B. Rebernak, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Zohner series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium. Zohner soils are on flats and terraces on valley floors and the lower parts of fan remnants. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 406 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic Calcic Cryaquolls
Mollic epipedon thickness: 18 to 46 cm
Depth to calcic: 5 to 13 cm
Depth to redoximorphic features (iron concentrations/depletions): 0 to 27 cm
Control section total clay: 20 to 40 percent
Control section carbonate clay: 2 to15 percent
Control section noncarbonate clay: 18 to 25 percent
Depth to sandy-skeletal material (3Bg or 3Cg horizon): 100 to 152 cm
Rock fragments: Where fragments are present, there are 15 to 30 percent gravel in the
particle size control section and 15 to 70 percent below the particle size control
section.
Soil reaction: Slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
Mean annual soil temperature: 3.9 to 7.2 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 6.1 to 12.8 degrees C. cryic soil temperature regime
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: Wet meadow pasture
Range/ecological site: R013XY039ID
Dominant native vegetation: Shrubby cinquefoil, slender wheat grass, baltic rush (and
other rushes), sedges, redtop, and scattered willows
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Eastern Idaho, MLRA 13
Extent: These soils are not extensive
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/wyoming/TetonI...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/Z/ZOHNER.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Flaco extremely gravelly coarse sand, 1 to 3 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of Wupatki National Monument, Arizona; by James M. Harrigan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Lava flows in an area of Flaco-Lava flows complex, 1 to 18 percent slopes. These soils occur on talfs on relict lava fields.
The Flaco series consists of moderately deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in alluvium and windblown sediments derived from basalt. Flaco soils are on old basalt capped mesas. Slope is 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 53 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Calciargids
Soil moisture: Ustic aridic soil moisture regime
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 inches
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay
USE AND VEGETATION: Flaco soils are used for livestock grazing. Present native vegetation is blue grama, galleta, winterfat, juniper and cholla cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The series is of small extent in westcentral New Mexico and eastcentral Arizona. MLRA 35.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/arizona/wupatk...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FLACO.html
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A representative soil profile of the Elk series. Elk soils have an argillic horizon that extends to a depth of 100 cm or more. (Soil Survey of Christian County, Kentucky, by Ronald D. Froedge, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Elk series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils formed in mixed alluvium from limestone, siltstone, shale, sandstone, and loess. Slopes commonly range from 0 to 12 percent, but the range extends to 40 percent. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is 57 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 46.3 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Hapludalfs
Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 60 inches or more. Depth to bedrock is greater than 5 feet. Fragments range from 0 to 5 percent in the solumn and ranges from 0 to 35 percent in the C horizon. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through very strongly acid in the A and Bt horizons and from slightly acid through strongly acid in the C horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely in cultivated crops, principally corn, tobacco, small grains, soybeans, and hay or pasture. Native forest has oaks, elms, walnut, hickory, and ash as the dominant species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and possibly Missouri and Tennessee. Extent is moderate, about 200,000 acres.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/kentucky/chris...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/E/ELK.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of an Oxisol (fine, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic Typic Kandiudox) from the Cerado physiographic region--a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Minas Gerais and the Federal District of Brazil. (Horizonation is by Brazil soil classification system.)
Oxisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Oxisols are weathered soils that are low in fertility. They are most common on the gentle slopes of geologically old surfaces in tropical and subtropical regions. Their profiles are distinctive because of a lack of obvious horizons. Their surface horizons are normally somewhat darker than the subsoil, but the transition of subsoil features is gradual. Some oxisols have been previously classified as laterite soils.
Both the structure and “feel” of Oxisols are deceptive. Upon first examination, they appear structureless and have the feel of a loamy texture. While some are loamy or even coarser textured, many have a fine or very-fine particle-size class, but the clay is aggregated in a strong grade of fine and very fine granular structure. To obtain a true “feel” of the texture, a wet sample must be worked for several minutes in the hands to break down the aggregates. The strong granular structure apparently causes most Oxisols to have a much more rapid permeability than would be predicted, given the particle-size class. Although compaction and reduction in permeability can be caused by cultivation, the soils are extremely resistant to compaction and are so free draining that cultivation can take place soon after rain without puddling.
In the Brazil soil classification system, these Latossolos are highly weathered soils composed mostly of clay and weathering resistant sand particles. Clay silicates of low activity (kaolinite clays) or iron and aluminum oxide rich (haematite, goethite, gibbsite) are common. There are little noticeable horizonation differences. These are naturally very infertile soils, but, because of the ideal topography and physical conditions, some are being used for agricultural production. These soils do require fertilizers because of the ease of leaching of nutrients through the highly weathered soils.
For additional information about these soils, visit:
sites.google.com/site/soil350brazilsoilsla/soil-formation...
and...
For additional information about U.S. soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...
Profile of Caguabo clay loam, 20 to 60 percent slopes. Caguabo soils are characterized by a surface layer of clay loam and a subsurface layer of paragravelly silty clay loam over basalt bedrock. (Soil Survey of San Germán Area, Puerto Rico by Jorge L. Lugo-Camacho, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Caguabo series consists of shallow, well drained, moderately permeable soils on side slopes of strongly dissected uplands. They formed in material that weathered from basalt. Near the type location, the mean annual precipitation is about 80 inches and the mean annual temperature is 76 degrees F. Slopes range from 12 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, active, isohyperthermic, shallow Typic Eutrudepts
Solum thickness ranges from 6 to 20 inches and depth to bedrock ranges from 10 to 20 inches. Content of pebbles range from 2 to 20 percent, by volume and cobbles from 0 to 5 percent, by volume in the A or Ap horizon and from 2 to 70 percent, by volume, pebbles or occasionally from 20 to 75 percent, by volume, paragravels in the Bw and BC horizons Reaction is moderately acid to slightly acid throughout.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are used for pasture. A few small areas are planted to woodland. Vegetation consists of native and introduced grasses, shrubs, and trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid uplands of Puerto Rico. The series is of large extent. These soils were formerly included in the Mucara series.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/puerto_rico/PR...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CAGUABO.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Knoco soil series. (Soil Survey of Woods County, Oklahoma; by Richard Gelnar, Jimmy Ford, Clay Salisbury, Clay Wilson, and Glen Williams, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Knoco series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in residuum weathered from claystone over dense noncemented claystone bedrock of Permian age. These very gently sloping to very steep soils occur on interfluves, side slopes and erosional footslopes on dissected plains. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 686 mm (27 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 17.2 degrees C (63 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, active, calcareous, thermic, shallow Aridic Ustorthents
Soil Moisture: Typic ustic soil moisture regime.
Depth to bedrock, densic: 8 to 51 cm (3 to 20 in)
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 0 to 36 cm (0 to 14 in)
Depth to secondary carbonates: 0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in)
Surface fragments: Calcareous nodules and sandstone pebbles range from a few to a pavement. There are a few siliceous pebbles on the surface of some pedons. Some pedons have sandstone or limestone stones or boulders on the surface. Fragments range from 1 to 20 feet across the long axis, and are about 1 to 5 feet thick. These fragments cover about 2 to 25 percent of the surface layer in some soil areas.
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay Content: 35 to 60 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland. The native vegetation consists of a sparse cover of tobosagrass, buffalograss, blue grama and sideoats grama, with a few scrubby mesquite, juniper, and pricklypear cactus; about 10 to 50 percent ground cover in most areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central Texas, western Oklahoma, and a small part of south central Kansas; Land Resource Region - H; MLRA-78A (Rolling Limestone Prairie), MLRAs - 78B and 78C (Central Rolling Red Plains); The series is extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/oklahoma/OK151...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/K/KNOCO.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: Typical profile of Dayton silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes. The heavy textured clay layer is between 30 and 70 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Benton County, Oregon; Matthew H. Fillmore, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Irish Bend cutbank in an area of Dayton silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes. Dayton soils are on nearly level or somewhat concave, slightly depressed parts of broad valley terraces at elevations of 150 to 400 feet. They formed in silty and clayey glaciolacustrine deposits.
Map Unit Setting
General landscape: Valleys
Major land resource area (MLRA): 2
Elevation: 150 to 400 feet
Mean annual precipitation: 40 to 50 inches
Mean annual air temperature: 50 to 54 degrees F
Frost-free period: 165 to 210 days
Map Unit Composition
Dayton and similar soils: 93 percent
Dissimilar minor components: 7 percent
Setting
Landform: Concave and linear areas of terraces
Geomorphic position (three-dimensional): Treads
Downslope shape: Linear
Across-slope shape: Linear, concave
Properties and qualities
Parent material: Silty and clayey glaciolacustrine deposits
Slope range: 0 to 2 percent
Depth to restrictive feature: 12 to 24 inches to abrupt textural change
Drainage class: Poorly drained
Capacity of the most limiting soil layer to transmit water (Ksat): Low
Frequency of flooding: None
Frequency of ponding: Frequent (see Water Features table)
Seasonal high water table (minimum depth): At the surface to a depth of 9 inches
(see Water Features table)
Salinity (maximum): Not saline
Sodicity (maximum): Not sodic
Available water capacity (entire profile): Very high (about 14.3 inches)
Interpretive groups
Land capability subclass (nonirrigated): 4w
Land capability subclass (irrigated): 4w
Typical profile
A—0 to 9 inches; silt loam
E1—9 to 12 inches; silt loam
E2—12 to 15 inches; silt loam
2Bt1—15 to 22 inches; silty clay
2Bt2—22 to 29 inches; silty clay
2BCt1—29 to 40 inches; silty clay
2BCt2—40 to 53 inches; silt loam
3C—53 to 76 inches; silt loam
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for growing spring grains, grass seed, hay and pasture. Native vegetation is grasses, weeds, rosebushes and widely spaced ash trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Dayton soils are found throughout the Willamette Valley in western Oregon; MLRA 2. They are extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/oregon/OR003/0...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DAYTON.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Chilcott soils are nearly level to moderately steep on high terraces, mesas, calderas, shield volcanos and basalt plains at elevations of 2,300 to 5,300 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 30 percent. These soils formed in a thin mantle of loess over silty alluvium from loess and weathered volcanic ash over loamy or sandy and gravelly alluvium from igneous materials. The climate is cool, moist in the winter and hot, dry in the summer. Average annual precipitation is dominantly 8 to 12 inches, but ranges to 15 inches in the Boise Front (Ada County, Idaho). Average annual temperature is 45 to 54 degrees F. Frost-free period is 90 to 170 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Chilcott soils are used mainly for irrigated cropland, hayland and pastureland at lower elevations and for rangeland and wildlife habitat at higher elevations. Crops grown include corn and small grains. The dominant natural vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, Thurber needlegrass, and bluebunch wheatgrass.
TYPE LOCATION: Gem County, Idaho; about 9 miles northwest of Emmett; 2,400 feet south and 1,100 feet west of the northeast corner of section 7, T.7 N., R.2 W.; USGS Northwest Emmett Quadrangle; (Latitude 43 degrees, 57 minutes, 33 seconds N. and Longitude 116 degrees, 36 minutes, 57 seconds W.)
For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:
storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97d01af9d4554b9097cb0a477e04...
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CHILCOTT.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A soil profile of Blanton sand. (Soil Survey of Screven County, Georgia; by Gary C. Hankins, Jr., Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Corn growing in an area of Blanton sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes. With proper management, such as irrigation, this soil can be productive for certain crops.
The Blanton series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained to moderately well drained, moderately to slowly permeable soils on uplands and stream terraces in the Coastal Plain. They formed in sandy and loamy marine or eolian deposits. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 67 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 55 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 45 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Grossarenic Paleudults
Solum thickness ranges from 60 to more than 80 inches. Content of gravel-sized fragments, dominantly quartz and ironstone pebbles, is less than 10 percent, by volume, in all horizons except the A and E horizons which may have as much as 35 percent, by volume. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout except where the surface has been limed. Depth to the Bt horizon is commonly 50 to 70 inches but ranges from 40 to 80 inches. Redoximorphic features that indicate wetness occur at depths of between 30 and 72 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas are cleared and used for cropland, truck crops, improved pasture, and hayland. Natural vegetation consists of slash and longleaf pine, red, bluejack, and live oak with an understory of chinkapin, highland fern, huckleberry, and pineland threeawn, bluestem, panicum, and tickclover.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plain of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The series is of large extent, over 1 million acres.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/georgia/screve...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BLANTON.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Southwick series.
Landscape: These soil are on loess hills in the Columbia basalt plateau. They are dominantly used as cropland of wheat, barley, peas, hay, pasture, and for timber production.
Slope--3 to 40 percent; dominantly north-facing slopes
Parent material--recent loess over older loess
Mean annual precipitation--about 585 mm
Mean annual air temperature--about 8 degrees C
Depth class--very deep
Drainage class--moderately well drained
Soil moisture regime--xeric
Soil temperature regime--mesic
Soil moisture subclass--oxyaquic
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Argixerolls
Note: The classification of this series was changed from fine-silty, mixed, mesic Boralfic Argixerolls to fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Argixerolls based on the latest revision to Soil Taxonomy. This pedon does not meet the criteria for the aquic subgroup based on the absence of redoximorphic depletions (zones with chroma less than that of matrix) within a depth of 75 cm of the mineral soil surface. The Btxb horizon is not currently considered to meet the criteria for a fragipan, but further study is needed.
Depth to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral layer.
Thickness of mollic epipedon--40 to 75 cm
Depth to argillic horizon--70 to 100 cm
Moisture control section--dry 45 to 60 consecutive days late in summer and early in fall
Mean annual soil temperature--8 to 12 degrees C
Content of clay in particle-size control section (weighted average)--24 to 35 percent
An Oi horizon is in some pedons.
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use--dominantly wheat, barley, peas, hay, pasture, and timber production
Natural vegetation--ponderosa pine, common snowberry, white spirea, rose
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho; MLRA 9; moderate extent
For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:
storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97d01af9d4554b9097cb0a477e04...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SOUTHWICK.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A typical profile of Brasstown channery fine sandy loam. Brasstown soils are deep to weathered bedrock. They are on intermountain hills and low and intermediate mountains, dominantly in the central, southern, and western parts of Ckerokee County. (Soil Survey of Cherokee County, North Carolina; by Brian Wood and Southern Blue Ridge Soil Survey Office, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Brasstown series consists of deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on ridges and side slopes of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. These soils formed in residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper part, and is weathered from metasedimentary rocks such as phyllite, slate, quartzite and thinly bedded metasandstone. Slope ranges from 2 to 95 percent. Near the type location, mean annual air temperature is 56 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is 60 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, subactive, mesic Typic Hapludults
Thickness of the solum ranges from 26 to 59 inches. Depth to a paralithic contact with soft weathered bedrock is 40 to 60 inches. Depth to hard bedrock is more than 60 inches. Content of rock fragments ranges up to 35 percent by volume. Fragments are dominantly channers or gravel in the A, E, Bt, and BC horizons. They range from channers to flagstones in the C horizon. Content of mica flakes is few to common throughout. Reaction is extremely acid to moderately acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is in forest. Common trees are scarlet oak, chestnut oak, northern red oak, white oak, black oak, hickory, and some Virginia pine, pitch pine, shortleaf pine, and eastern white pine. The understory includes flowering dogwood, rhododendron, mountain-laurel, sourwood, blueberry, buffalo nut, blackgum, and red maple. Some areas are used for pasture and cropland. The main crops are corn and hay.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Carolina, and possibly Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
The soils now placed in the Brasstown series were previously included in the Evard series. However, Brasstown is derived from and has fragments of metasedimentary rocks, and Evard contains fragments of granite, gneiss, or schist. The 6/99 revision updates the classification to the 8th Edition of Keys to Soil Taxonomy. The soil is placed in the subactive CEC activity class based upon NSSL lab data from the typifying pedon.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BRASSTOWN.html
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A representative soil profile of Kranzburg silt loam. There is about 60 centimeters of silt loam material over the
clay loam glacial till. (Soil Survey of Spink County, South Dakota; by James B. Millar, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Kranzburg series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess overlying glacial till on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 9 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 559 millimeters (22 inches) and mean annual air temperature is 6 degrees C (43 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Hapludolls
The depth to calcium carbonates typically is about 64 centimeters (25 inches), but ranges from 36 to 91 centimeters (14 to 36 inches). Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 18 to 41 centimeters (7 to 16 inches), and extends into the Bw horizon of some pedons. The depth to glacial till ranges from 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches). The glacial till contains more than 15 percent fine sand and coarser and 1 to 8 percent rock fragments. A stone line 3 to 8 centimeters (1 to 3 inches) in thickness is at the glacial till contact in most pedons. The particle size control section averages between 24 and 32 percent clay.
USE AND VEGETATION: Almost all areas used to grow corn, small grain or alfalfa. Native vegetation is big bluestem, little bluestem, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama and sideoats grama, sedges and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-10A and MLRA-55B. Eastern and northeastern South Dakota and adjacent areas in Minnesota and North Dakota. The series is extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/south_dakota/S...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/K/KRANZBURG.html
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A monolith, or vertical slice from topsoil down to subsoil, preserves a soil’s colors and layered horizons in position. Scientists make monoliths of the important soils in their region and use them in teaching. In the field, scientists dig a pit about 6 feet deep, keeping one face a flat vertical plane.
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs144p2_002455...
A representative soil profile of a Typic Hapludult from the North Star Training area in Uijeongbu, Korea.
The mid-slope area consisted of very deep, well drained, acid, loamy soils formed from materials weathered from coarse-grained granites on colluvial fans. Slope ranged from 4 to 25 percent. The soil surface was very stony/bouldery and a sandy loam. The subsoil was sandy clay loam or clay loam and extended to a depth of about 10 to 40 inches. It was underlain by stony or very stony (cobbles, stones, and boulders) sandy loam or loamy sand in a matrix from highly weathered granite saprolite (grus). A detailed pedon description and soil profile picture was taken in a tank parking area. A soil sample of the Bt was taken for CEC and particle-size. (S97FN-515-001-002). (Pedon 3) Field Classification: fine-loamy, Typic Hapludult
The central concept or Typic subgroup of Hapludults is fixed on freely drained soils that are moderately deep or deeper to hard rock. Typic Hapludults are of very large extent in the Eastern and Southeastern United States. The natural vegetation consisted of forest plants. Slopes range from nearly level to steep. Where slopes are suitable, many of these soils are used as cropland. Many of the soils, particularly those that are steep, are used as forest. Some are used as pasture or homesites.
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...
Soil profile: A profile of Clifford sandy clay loam in an area of Clifford sandy clay loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, moderately eroded.
Landscape: Typical landscape and Clifford soils along the Blue Ridge escarpment in Surry County, North Carolina. (Soil Survey of Surry County, North Carolina; by Roger J. Leab, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
archive.org/details/surryNC2007
Setting
Landscape: Piedmont uplands
Landform: Hills
Geomorphic component: Interfluves
Shape and size of areas: Elongated or irregular; 5 to 500 acres
Composition
Clifford and similar soils: About 88 percent
Dissimilar soils: About 12 percent
Typical Profile
Surface layer:
yellowish red sandy clay loam
Subsoil:
red clay
Underlying material:
red clay loam
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, mesic Typic Kanhapludults
Soil Properties and Qualities
Depth class: Very deep
Agricultural drainage class: Well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity class: Moderately high
Available water capacity: Moderate or high
Flooding: None
Shrink-swell potential: Low
Erosion class: Moderate
Slope class: Gently sloping
Index surface runoff: Low
Depth to bedrock: More than 60 inches to hard bedrock
Minor Components
Similar:
• Fairview soils, which have a thinner subsoil than the Clifford soil
Dissimilar:
• Woolwine soils, which have soft bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches
• Westfield soils, which have soft bedrock at a depth of 40 to 60 inches
Land Use
Dominant uses: Cropland, pasture, and hayland
Cropland
Suitability: Moderately suited
Management concerns: Erodibility and soil fertility
Management measures and considerations:
• Resource management systems that include diversions, stripcropping, contour tillage, no-till farming (fig. 11), and crop residue management reduce the hazard of erosion, help to control surface runoff, and maximize water infiltration.
• Applying lime and fertilizer according to recommendations from soil tests increases the availability of plant nutrients and maximizes productivity.
Pasture and hayland
Suitability: Well suited
Management concerns: Erodibility and soil fertility
Management measures and considerations:
• Preparing seedbeds on the contour or across the slope reduces the hazard of erosion and increases the germination rate.
• Applying lime and fertilizer according to recommendations from soil tests increases the availability of plant nutrients and maximizes productivity when establishing, maintaining, or renovating pasture and hayland.
For a detailed description of the soil, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CLIFFORD.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
In the Coastal Plain region of the southeastern US, a few spotty areas have soils that formed in iron-rich, loamy to clayey, marine sediments containing thin continuous iron cemented layers. These layers may qualify as petroferric contacts, but taxonomically, petroferric subgroups have not been recognized in the U.S., but have been acknowledged at the series level in a fine family. The Darley soil series is an example:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DARLEY.html
These taxa are common in the uplands of Africa, the central part of Indonesia, and many other areas (i.e., a Petroferric Kandiudox). To date these soils have been observed in Louisiana. Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. They are estimated to occur throughout the Coastal Plain of the southeastern US.
According to USDA-Soil Taxonomy, a petroferric (Gr. petra, rock, and L. ferrum, iron; implying ironstone) contact is a boundary between soil and a continuous layer of indurated material in which iron is an important cement and organic matter is either absent or present only in traces. The indurated layer must be continuous within the limits of each pedon, but it may be fractured if the average lateral distance between fractures is 10 cm or more. The fact that this layer contains little or no organic matter distinguishes it from a placic horizon and an indurated spodic horizon (ortstein), both of which contain organic matter.
If formed by pedogenic processes in association with plinthite, these layers are commonly referred to as petroplinthite, whereas ironstone is more commonly associated with geologic processes.
According to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (FAO and Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations 2006), a petroplinthic horizon (from the Greek words petros, meaning rock and plinthos, meaning brick) is a continuous, fractured or broken layer of indurated material in which Fe (and in some cases Mn) acts as cement and in which organic matter is either absent or only present in traces.
Using GPR to Characterize Plinthite and Ironstone Layers in Ultisols. Available from: www.researchgate.net/publication/282805887_Using_GPR_to_C... [accessed Dec 09 2020].
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hQaXV7MpM
For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-...
or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...
A representative soil profile of Overshue fine sandy loam. There is about 110 centimeters of fine sandy loam material over the clay loam glacial till. (Soil Survey of Spink County, South Dakota; by James B. Millar, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Overshue series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in loamy glaciofluvial sediments overlying till. Permeability is moderately rapid in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying till. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 46 degree F, and mean annual precipitation is about 19 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls
Depth to till ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is typically 10 to 24 inches, but ranges from 10 to 30 inches and extends into the Bw horizon in most pedons. Depth to carbonates typically correspond to the depth to the till.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cropped, however excess moisture prevents cultivation some years. Corn is the most common crop. Native vegetation is mainly prairie cordgrass and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central South Dakota. The series is moderately extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/south_dakota/S...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/O/OVERSHUE.html
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The desert flourishes (Google-Earth Image capture).
The Rub' al Khali is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world, encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. The desert covers some 650,000 square kilometres including parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It is part of the larger Arabian Desert. One very large pile of sand!!!
Most of the UAE's cultivated land is taken up by date palms, which in the early 1990s numbered about 4 million. They are cultivated in the arc of small oases that constitute the Al Liwa Oasis. Both federal and emirate governments provide incentives to farmers. For example, the government offers a 50 percent subsidy on fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. It also provides loans for machinery and technical assistance. The emirates have forty-one agricultural extension units as well as several experimental farms and agricultural research stations. The number of farmers rose from about 4,000 in the early 1970s to 18,265 in 1988.
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Soil profile: A soil profile of Frederick gravelly silt loam in a cultivated field. The argillic horizon typically begins directly below the topsoil layer and extends to below a depth of 150 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Rockbridge County, Virginia; by Mary Ellen Cook, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: An example of Frederick silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes planted to no-tillage corn and alfalfa.
The Frederick series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in residuum derived mainly from dolomitic limestone with interbeds of sandstone, siltstone, and shale. They are on are nearly level to very steep uplands. Permeability is moderate. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 42 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 55 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Paleudults
Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 72 inches. Depth to the top of the argillic horizon ranges from 0 to 20 inches. Variegated colors in the solum range from 40 to more than 60 inches below the soil surface. Rock fragments are mostly chert and range from 0 to 60 percent in the A, E, BA, and BE horizons, and 0 to 35 percent in the Bt, BC, and C horizons. In some areas the upper part of the solum is capped with as much as 20 inches of silty material. The soil ranges from very strongly acid through moderately acid, unless limed.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are cleared and cultivated. Crops are corn, small grain, hay, tobacco, and apple orchards. Most of the steeper areas are in pasture or forest. Vegetation is largely hardwoods such as oak, hickory, maple, and yellow poplar.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, and Tennessee. The series is of large extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/virginia/rockb...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FREDERICK.html
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A representative soil profile of the Surrency soil series in Florida.
Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Very poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very shallow, persistent to permanent
Permeability: Moderately slow to moderate
Landscape: Lower coastal plain
Landform: Flats, depressions, swamps
Geomorphic Component: Dips
Parent Material: Marine and fluvial sediments
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Arenic Umbric Paleaquults
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 60 inches
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 0 to 6 inches January to December, ponded December to April with ponding occurring less frequently May to November
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid to strongly acid, except where limed
Thickness of solum: 60 to 100 inches
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Forest or water-tolerant grasses; some pasture
Dominant Vegetation: Loblolly pine, slash pine, baldcypress, sweetgum, black gum, red maple, sweetbay magnolia, and water oak; shrubs are inkberry, southern wax myrtle, and titi
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Florida, Georgia, and possibly Alabama and South Carolina
Extent: Moderate
For a detailed description, visit:
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Landscape: Hills
Landform: Hill and hillslope
Anthropogenic Features: Dump, spoil pile and spoil bank
Hillslope Profile Position: Summit, shoulder, backslope, footslope and toeslope
Geomorphic Component: Crest, head slope, side slope and base slope
Parent Material: Coal extraction mine spoil derived from acid regolith, mainly carboliths (high carbon content rocks) of mine waste rock
Slope: 0 to 90 percent
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, semiactive, acid, mesic Typic Udorthents
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 152 cm (60 inches)
Depth Class: Very deep
Rock Fragment Content: 15 to 80 percent, by volume, but averages 35 percent or more in the particle-size control section
Rock Fragment Size: 2 mm to 25 cm, but can include stones and boulders
Rock Fragment Type: Carboliths constitute more than 50 percent of the rock fragment volume, with siltstone, shale and sandstone making up the remainder
Fine-Earth Fraction: 4 to 15 percent clay in the control section
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid through strongly acid, except where limed
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Wildlife habitat and recreational areas.
Dominant Vegetation: These soils are generally barren, but they can support sparse grasses and legumes if the area has been "topsoiled".
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia; Extent: Moderate
Itmann soils were previously mapped as a variety of strip mine spoil and udorthents units. Carbolith is a name coined at West Virginia University to describe dark colored sedimentary rocks that will make a black or very dark (Munsell color value of 3 or less) streak or powder. Rocks under this name include coal not scheduled for mining, impure waste coal, bone coal, high carbon siltstones and high carbon shales.
For a detailed description, visit:
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A representative soil profile of the series. These very poorly drained soils formed in organic deposits underlain by sandy marine sediments. They are in old lake basins and backswamps and on flood plains. (Soil Survey of Cumberland County, New Jersey; by Lenore Matula Vasilas, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Very poorly drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high to high in the organic layers and high in the mineral layers
Landscape: Coastal Plain
Parent Material: Organic deposits underlain by sandy fluviomarine sediments
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 13 degrees C. (56 degrees F.)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1143 mm (45 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy or sandy-skeletal, siliceous, dysic, mesic Terric Haplosaprists
Thickness of the Underlying Material: Greater than 183 cm (72 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 152 cm (60 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: +30 to 0 cm (+12 to 0 inches), January to December
Depth to Mineral Horizons: 41 to 130 cm (16 to 51 inches)
Rock Fragments: 0 to 50 percent, by volume in the Cg horizon, mostly fine pebbles
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid or very strongly acid in the surface tier and very strongly acid or strongly acid in the lower tiers and in the mineral substratum
Other Features: Mineral content of organic layers ranges from 5 to 80 percent. Organic layers consist of mostly sapric material. Some pedons have subhorizons or a surface horizon of hemic material up to 25 cm (10 inches) thick. Woody fragments range from 0 to 50 percent, by volume, in the organic layers. These fragments are mostly twigs, branches, or logs ranging in size from 3 mm to 51 cm (1/8 inch to 20 inches) in diameter and completely break down when rubbed or crushed.
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Wetland wildlife habitat, and woodland
Dominant Vegetation: Atlantic white cedar, bald cypress, pitch pine, red maple, blackgum, sweetgum, swamp chestnut oak, water oak, smooth alder, northern white cedar, sweet bay (swamp magnolia). The understory is high-bush blueberry, sweet pepperbush, leather leaf, gallberry, arrowwood, green briar, American holly, ferns, sedges, grasses and mosses. Some areas are cultivated to cranberries and blueberries
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: The coastal plain of New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and possibly Pennsylvania.
Extent: Large--more than 120,000 acres.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/new_jersey/NJ0...
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soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MANAHAWKIN.html
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In both the FAO soil classification and the USDA soil taxonomy, a histosol is a soil consisting primarily of organic materials. They are defined as having 40 centimetres (16 in) or more of organic soil material in the upper 80 centimetres (31 in). Organic soil material has an organic carbon content (by weight) of 12 to 18 percent, or more, depending on the clay content of the soil. These materials include muck (sapric soil material), mucky peat (hemic soil material), or peat (fibric soil material). Typically, histosols have very low bulk density and are poorly drained because the organic matter holds water very well. Most are acidic and many are very deficient in major plant nutrients which are washed away in the consistently moist soil. Histosols are known by various other names in other countries, such as peat or muck.
For more information on Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class/
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A profile of Chestnut gravelly fine sandy loam in an area of Chestnut-Peaks complex, 8 to 25 percent slopes, very rocky. (Soil Survey of Surry County, North Carolina; by Roger J. Leab, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Low and intermediate mountains and occasionally intermountain hills
Landform: Mountain slope, hillslopes, and ridges
Geomorphic Component: Mountain top, mountain flank, side slope, and interfluves
Hillslope Profile Position: Summit, shoulder, and backslope
Parent Material Origin: Felsic or mafic igneous or high-grade metamorphic rocks such as granite gneiss, granodiorite, biotite gneiss, and high-grade metagraywacke.
Parent Material Kind: Residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper solum.
Slope: Typically 15 to 95 percent, but range from 2 to 95 percent.
Elevation: 427 to 1524 meters; (1,400 to 5,000 feet)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Dystrudepts
Solum Thickness: 38 to 99 cm (15 to 39 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) to weathered bedrock (paralithic); greater than 152 cm (60 inches) to unweathered bedrock (lithic).
Depth Class: Moderately Deep
Rock Fragment content: 0 to 35 percent, by volume, but typically less than 20 percent throughout the profile.
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid to moderately acid, except where limed
Content of Mica: 0 to 20 percent, by volume mica flakes throughout
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Woodland, less often pasture, hayland, and rarely cultivated crops.
Dominant Vegetation: Where wooded--scarlet oak, chestnut oak, white oak, black oak, hickory, eastern white pine, and Virginia pine. Yellow poplar and northern red oak occur in the north central mountains of MLRA 130-B. Understory species are dominantly mountain laurel, flowering dogwood, sourwood, chestnut sprouts, and buffalo nut. Where cleared--used for pasture and hay.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Southern Blue Ridge (MLRA 130-B) of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Extent: Large--more than 100,000 acres.
Chestnut soils were previously mapped with the Ashe series. Field studies indicate that Chestnut soils have significantly higher forest productivity than Ashe soils. Both Chestnut and Ashe soils are moderately deep to soft bedrock; however, Ashe soils have hard bedrock within 40 inches.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CHESTNUT.html
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Cedarhill gravelly silt loam in an area of Cedarhill-Clegg-Drage, 5 to 55 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of Bear Lake County Area, Idaho; by Francis R. Kukachka, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Typical vegetation on map Cedarhill-Clegg-Drage
complex, 5 to 55 percent slopes. Range site: R013XYOO1ID; Loamy 12-16 ARTRV/PSSPS-FEID
The Cedarhill series consists of very deep, well drained soils on mountain slopes and ridges, foothills, and terraces. They formed in alluvium and colluvium derived from limestone and related sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. Permeability is moderate. Slopes range from 4 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 15 inches and the mean annual temperature is 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calcixerolls
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for rangeland, wildlife habitat, watershed, and cropland. Important native plants are Utah juniper, mountain big sagebrush, arrowleaf balsamroot, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Indian ricegrass. The dominant crops are dryland wheat and alfalfa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southeastern Idaho. This series is of moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/idaho/bearlake...
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Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Moderately well drained or somewhat poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Shallow to moderately deep, common, thick
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None or occasional, rare, or very rare for very brief periods
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
Index Surface Runoff: Low to high
Permeability: Moderately slow
Shrink-Swell Potential: Moderate
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Stream terrace
Geomorphic Component: Riser, tread
Hillslope Profile Position: None
Parent Material: Clayey alluvium
Slope: 0 to 15 percent
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludults
Thickness of the sandy surface and subsurface layers: 3 to 19 inches
Depth to top of the Argillic or Kandic horizon: 3 to 19 inches
Depth to the base of the Argillic horizon: 35 to 80
Depth to contrasting soil material (lithologic discontinuity): 35 to more than 80 inches
Depth to densic materials: 40 to more than 60 inches
Soil reaction: Extremely acid to strongly acid throughout, except where limed
Mica content: 0 to 20 percent
Depth to bedrock: Greater than 80 inches
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 40 to 60 inches, November to April
Rock Fragment content: 0 to 35 percent, by volume throughout
Content of mica: None to 20 percent
Other Feature: 40 to 60 inches to a densic BC horizon with firm or very firm moist consistence
Major Uses: About one-half of the total acreage is in cultivation with the remainder in woodland.
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--principal crops are corn, small grain, and soybeans. Where wooded--mixed
hardwoods and pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Virginia and North Carolina
Extent: Moderate
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Fig. 5.29 Lithic Torriorthents (AD150) UAE
Torriorthents are the dry Orthents of cool to hot, arid regions. They have an aridic (or torric) moisture regime and a temperature regime warmer than cryic. Generally, they are neutral or calcareous and are on moderate to very steep slopes. A few are on gentle slopes. Many of the gently sloping soils are on rock pediments, are very shallow, have a sandy-skeletal particle-size class, or are salty. Others are on fans where sediments are recent but have little organic carbon. The vegetation on Torriorthents commonly is sparse and consists mostly of xerophytic shrubs and ephemeral grasses and forbs. The vegetation on a few of the soils is saltgrass.
Orthents are primarily on recent erosional surfaces. The erosion may be geologic or may have been induced by cultivation, mining, or other factors. Any former soil that was on the landscape has been completely removed or so truncated that the diagnostic horizons for all other orders do not occur.
Lithic Torriorthents have lithic contact within 50 cm of the soil surface. Lithic contact is a boundary between soil and continuous, coherent, underlying material. The underlying material must be sufficiently coherent to make hand-digging with a spade impractical. The material below a lithic contact must be in a strongly cemented or more cemented rupture-resistance class. Commonly, the material is indurated.
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A representative soil profile of the Posey series. The Posey series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in calcareous, loamy eolian deposits from the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. These soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping plains, playa slopes, and draws. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 483 mm (19 in) and the mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Calcidic Paleustalfs
Note: The kk feature is defined as pedogenic carbonate accumulation that is characterized by laterally continuous carbonates that have engulfed rock, sand, silt, and clay particles; plugged the macroporosity of the soil horizon with 50 percent or more calcium carbonate; and obliterated the original soil structure.
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 220 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
Surface fragments: 0 to 5 percent, gravel size, strongly cemented carbonate nodules.
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent silicate clay.
USE AND VEGETATION: Widely used for dryland and irrigated crop production. Principal crops grown are cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat. Climax native vegetation is mainly mid and short grasses and includes blue grama, sideoats grama, and buffalograss, with lesser amounts of vine-mesquite, western wheatgrass, galleta or tobosa, silver bluestem, wild alfalfa, and prairieclover with a light to moderate overstory of mesquite. This soil has been correlated to the High Lime (R077CY026TX) ecological site in MLRA-77C.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77C in LRR H) of west Texas and eastern New Mexico. The series is of moderate extent.
This is a Benchmark Series. A benchmark soil is one of large extent within one or more major land resource areas (MLRAs), one that holds a key position in the soil classification system, one for which there is a large amount of data, one that has special importance to one or more significant land uses, or one that is of significant ecological importance. Posey soil were formerly included in the Mansker and Veal series.
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soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/POSEY.html
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Soil profile: A representative profile of Grandmore loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent. A lithologic discontinuity occurs at a depth of below 125 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Greer County, Oklahoma; by Richard F. Gelnar, Clay D. Salisbury, and Randall Miller; Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landcsape: A typical landscape of Grandmore and Grandfield loamy sands, 0 to 3 percent slopes growing alfalfa hay.
The Grandmore series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils. These soils formed in loamy alluvium of Pleistocene age. These nearly level to very gently sloping soils are on stream terraces in the Central Rolling Red Plains (MLRA 78). Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 62 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Typic Haplustalfs
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
CEC/clay ratio: 0.4 to 0.6
Thickness of the solum: 60 to more than 80 inches
Depth to a discontinuity (with an increase in clay content): 30 to 60 inches
Depth to episaturation: 40 to 60 inches
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as cropland. Wheat, grain sorghum, cotton, alfalfa, improved bermudagrass, and weeping lovegrass are the principal crops. Native vegetation is mid and tall grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rolling Red Plains of western Oklahoma and Texas; LRR H; MLRA 78; Moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/oklahoma/OK055...
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soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/G/GRANDMORE.html
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The Anakeesta series consists of deep, well drained soils on moderately steep to very steep summits and side slopes in the high elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B. (Soil Survey of Graham County, North Carolina; by Brian Wood and Southern Blue Ridge Soil Survey Office, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
These soils formed in residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper part, and weathered from low-grade metasedimentary rocks, primarily slate. Slope ranges from 15 to 95 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Humic Dystrudepts
Solum thickness and depth to bedrock ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Reaction is extremely acid to strongly acid. Content of rock fragments ranges from 15 percent to 75 percent by volume in the A, BA, and upper Bw horizons, and 50 to 80 percent by volume in the lower Bw horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is in public ownership and is used for watershed protection, recreation, and wildlife habitat. In areas higher than about 5,400 feet, red spruce and fraser fir are the dominant trees. At the lower elevations, northern red oak, black oak, American beech, yellow birch, black cherry, sugar maple, eastern hemlock, and yellow buckeye are common trees. Common understory plants are serviceberry, striped maple, American chestnut sprouts, silverbell, pin cherry, rhododendron, flame azalea, and blueberry. Common forbs are hay-scented fern, woodfern, New York fern, Solomons seal, yellow mandarin, and trillium. Acreage covered by heath balds is vegetated with rhododendron, mountain laurel, blueberry, flame azalea, hawthorn, and mountain ash.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Higher elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B of Tennessee and North Carolina. This series is of moderate extent. Although Anakeesta soils may exhibit some of the characteristics of andic soil properties, they lack the volcanic glass found in soils of similar taxa in the Western United States.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
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A truck-mounted hydraulic probe used to quickly obtain soil profiles. The Giddings probe (shown) has the ability to collect a large- or small-diameter core sample, and extensions can be added to it for deep coring. Driver’s side-mounted bull probes are preferred in some areas but are limited to collection of smaller diameter core samples. (Photo courtesy of Casey Latta)
A soil scientist examines the soil often in the course of mapping. Examination of both horizontal and vertical variations is essential. The most commonly used tools are spades and soil augers. Augers are used in most areas for routine mapping. In some areas, however, a spade is used to examine the soil. In soils with no rock fragments, samples can be collected quickly and relatively easily using truck-mounted or hand-operated probes.