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A representative soil profile of a Typic Calciustoll in Texas.
The central concept or Typic subgroup of Calciustolls is fixed on soils that have an ustic moisture regime, that have a mollic epipedon of moderate thickness, and that have a calcic horizon. These Calciustolls have both a cambic and calcic diagnostic horizon. The Castroville series (fine-silty, carbonatic, hyperthermic Typic Calciustolls) is an example.
Typic Calciustolls are of moderately large extent in the United States. They are widely distributed. The largest extent is on the Great Plains from Montana to Texas. The soils also are on tropical islands and in some valleys in the mountains of the Western United States. Most Typic Calciustolls supported grasses and shrubs. Most of the soils on plains are now used as cropland. The soils in the mountains are used mostly as rangeland or wildlife habitat.
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The Benchley series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils derived from residuum weathered from clayey residuum of the Cook Mountain Formation. These nearly level to moderately sloping soils are on ridges on dissected plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent but are dominantly 1 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Udertic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: Typically cultivated crops are cotton, grain sorghum, corn and small grain. Bermudagrass pastures are common. Native vegetation includes little bluestem, big bluestem, Indiangrass, brownseed paspalum and various forbes.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Blackland Prairies of East Central Texas (MLRA 86B). The series is of moderate extent. This soil was formerly included within the Bonham and Culp series.
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Ar Riwedah soil series (NE008) UAE
The Ar Riwedah series is a very deep soil formed in loamy alluvial deposits underlain by sandy and gravelly alluvial deposits.
Taxonomic classification: Typic Torriorthents, coarse-loamy, carbonatic, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizon described in this profile is: None. The finely stratified nature of the horizons and lack of structure prevents this soil from being classified as having a cambic horizon. Also, the soil was not classified with a contrasting particle-size class due to the diffuse boundary (greater than 12.5 cm) between the loamy and sandy horizons.
One-half or more of the particle-size control section has texture finer than very fine sand. The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.5 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) is generally less than 2.0 dS/m in all horizons, but ranges to 4.0 in some pedons. EC (1:1) may be higher in some areas that have been irrigated.
The A horizon ranges from about 10 to 20 cm thick. It has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
The C horizon commonly extends to depths of between 60 and 100 cm, but may extend to more than 200 cm in some places. Hue is 10YR, value is 5 to 7, and chroma is 2 to 4. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam, including gravelly texture modifiers. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 20%.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 5 or 6, and chroma 2 to 4. It is sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, including gravelly to extremely gravelly texture modifiers. Gravel content ranges from 5 to 70%. The 2C horizon may be extremely weakly or weakly cemented with carbonates. Horizon boundaries between loamy and sandy materials are gradual to diffuse.
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Gypsids are the Aridisols that have a gypsic or petrogypsic horizon within 100 cm of the soil surface. Accumulation of gypsum takes place initially as crystal aggregates in the voids of the soils. These aggregates grow by accretion, displacing the enclosing soil material. When the gypsic horizon occurs as a cemented impermeable layer, it is recognized as the petrogypsic horizon. Each of these forms of gypsum accumulation implies processes in the soils, and each presents a constraint to soil use. One of the largest constraints is dissolution of the gypsum, which plays havoc with structures, roads, and irrigation delivery systems. The presence of one or more of these horizons, with or without other diagnostic horizons, defines the great groups of the Gypsids. Gypsids occur in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, West Asia, and some of the most arid areas of the western part of the United States. Gypsids are on many segments of the landscape. Some of them have calcic or related horizons that overlie the gypsic horizon.
Calcigypsids are the Gypsids that have a calcic horizon. Commonly, the calcic horizon is above the gypsic horizon because of differences in the solubility of gypsum and calcium carbonate. These soils are known to occur in New Mexico. Most Calcigypsids are used for grazing.
Salidic Calcigypsids have an ECe of more ha 8 to less than 30 dS/m in a layer 10 cm or more thick within 100 cm of the soil surface.
The Troup series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands and side slopes of the Southern Coastal Plain (133A), Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills (137), North Central Florida Ridge (138), East Coast Flatwoods (152A) and the Atlantic Coast flatwoods (153A). They formed in unconsolidated sandy and loamy marine sediments. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is about 64 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 52 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 45 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Grossarenic Kandiudults
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The Faceville series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A). (Soil Survey of Decatur County, Georgia; by Scott Moore, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
They formed in red clayey marine sediments. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 65 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 48 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kandiudults
Thickness of the solum is 65 inches or more. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout except where the surface has been limed. In some pedons, the reaction is moderately acid in the BA horizon and upper Bt horizon. The clay content of the control section ranges from 36 to 55 percent with less than 30 percent silt. Plinthite content ranges from 0 to 4 percent, by volume, below a depth of 40 inches. Ironstone nodules 3 to 20 mm in size in the A, E and BA horizons range from none to up to 11 percent, by volume.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Faceville soils have been cleared and are used for growing cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, hay, vegetables, small grains, and tobacco. In recent years, some areas have been converted to pasture or reforested. Dominant trees include loblolly, shortleaf, and slash pine and a mixture of upland oaks, hickory, and dogwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The series is of large known extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
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This pedon was marginal to a shallow Typic vs. Lithic Udipsamments. The rock below the soil/bedrock contact ranged from weakly cemented to very strongly cemented with high or very high excavation difficulty. This range straddles the lithic and shallow paralithic concepts.
For lithic contact, the underlying material must be sufficiently coherent when moist to make hand-digging with a spade impractical, although the material may be chipped or scraped with a spade.
Wake series consists of excessively drained, shallow, sandy soils on uplands of the Southern Piedmont. They formed in residuum weathered from igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks such as granite and gneiss. Slope ranges from 2 to 45 percent. Near the type location, the mean annual rainfall is about 48 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 61 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Lithic Udipsamments
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For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
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For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
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or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...
Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Very poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very shallow, common to persistent
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None, very rare, rare for very brief, brief, or long periods
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
Index Surface Runoff: Negligible
Permeability: Moderate (Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high)
Shrink-Swell Potential: Low
Landscape: Middle and upper coastal plain, sandhills, river valleys
Landform: Stream terraces and flats
Geomorphic Component: Treads, talfs, dips
Parent Material: Marine deposits, fluviomarine deposits, alluvium
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Umbraquults
Thickness of the surface: 10 to 24 inches
Depth to top of the Argillic horizon: 10 to 24 inches
Depth to the base of the Argillic horizon: 40 to more than 80 inches
Depth to contrasting soil material (lithologic discontinuity): 40 to more than 80 inches
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 5 percent, by volume throughout; mostly quartz pebbles
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid to strongly acid throughout, except where limed
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 80 inches
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 0 to 12 inches, November to May
Other Features: None to few flakes of mica; clay mineralogy is kaolinitic
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Forestland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--corn, soybeans, small grain, truck crops, hay, and pasture. Where wooded--cypress, blackgum, water and willow oaks, pond, loblolly, and slash pine, and an undergrowth of bay bushes, myrtle, reed, and gallberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia
Extent: Large
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Soil profile: The Badin series consists of moderately deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in residuum weathered from fine-grained metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of the Carolina Slate Belt. (Soil Survey of Randolph County, North Carolina; by Perry W. Wyatt, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources)
Badin soils are on gently sloping to steep uplands in the Piedmont. Slopes range from 2 to 55 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludults
Solum thickness is 20 to 40 inches. Depth to weathered bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. Depth to hard bedrock is 40 inches or more. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to extremely acid in all horizons except where the surface has been limed. Limed soils are typically moderately acid or slightly acid in the A horizon. Rock fragment content is commonly 5 to 35 percent by volume in the A, E, BE, BA, and Bt horizons, and 20 to 60 percent in the BC and C horizons. Some pedons have individual horizons that have 0 to 5 percent rock fragments by volume. Fragments are dominantly channers.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for growing corn, small grain, soybeans, grain sorghum, mixed hay, and pasture. The remainder is in woodlands of oaks, hickory, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, and yellow-poplar. Common understory species are American holly, flowering dogwood, sourwood, and American hornbeam.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Piedmont Plateau of North Carolina and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
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www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
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A representative soil profile of the Botella series. The photo was taken at the Sunnyvale Historical Orchard, where Botella soils are still cultivated for orchards. The sandy clay loam texture allows good rooting and nutrient uptake for many plants. The soils provide an excellent medium for growing trees, lawns, gardens, and ornamental plants. Most areas of these soils have been urbanized. (Supplement to the Soil Survey of Santa Clara Area, California, Western Part; narratives written by William Reed, natural resources specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Botella series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvial material from sedimentary rocks. Botella soils are in valley bottoms and on alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 457 mm (18 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 14 degrees C (58 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argixerolls
Soil moisture: The soil becomes moist between depths of 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) some time from November to early December and remains moist until April or May.
Mean Annual Soil Temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F). The soil temperature usually does not go below 8 degrees C (47 degrees F)
Solum: greater than 81 cm (32 inches thick)
Surface fragments: some areas have up to 25 percent shale fragments on the surface
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent by volume and are rounded or sub-rounded
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately acid
Organic matter: 2 to 6 percent in the upper 50 cm, decreasing graually to about 1 percent or less at a depth of 75 cm (30 inches)
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent in the particle size controls section
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for growing field, forage, truck crops, and orchards and nonirrigated grain pasture, hay, and range. Some areas are used for urban development. Uncultivated areas have a cover of annual grasses and forbs with scattered oak trees and coastal sagebrush in some areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal valleys of central and southern California. MLRAs are 14, 15, and 19. The soils are of moderate extent.
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Soil profile: A typical profile of Reddies sandy loam. Reddies soils are very deep and formed from material deposited by streams and consisting mainly of sand. They occur in mountain valleys of low and intermediate mountains, predominantly at the upper end of large flood plains throughout Buncombe County. (Soil Survey of Buncombe County, North Carolina; by Mark S. Hudson, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Burley tobacco in an area of Dellwood-Reddies complex, 0 to 3 percent slopes, occasionally flooded, produces high crop yields when properly managed.
The Reddies series consists of moderately well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils on flood plains in the Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B. They formed in recent alluvium that is loamy in the upper part and is moderately deep to sandy strata containing more than 35 percent by volume gravel and/or cobbles. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Near the type location, mean annual temperature is 56 degrees F. and mean annual precipitation is 49 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Humudepts
Solum thickness ranges from 20 to 39 inches. The soil is underlain within depths of 20 to 40 inches, by horizons that contain more than 35 percent gravel and/or cobbles. The coarse-loamy material above the C horizon averages less than 50 percent fine and coarser sand. Rock fragments, dominantly gravel size are in the A and B horizons of some pedons, but comprise less than 35 percent by volume. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to neutral. Content of mica flakes is few to many.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all of the acreage is cleared and is used for hay, corn, pasture, truck crops, ornamentals, and urban uses. The rest is mainly in hardwood forest. Yellow-poplar, sycamore, red maple, and river birch are the dominant trees. Common understory plants are rhododendron, ironwood, flowering dogwood, red maple, tag alder, greenbrier, and switchcane. A few areas have been planted to eastern white pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B North Carolina and Tennessee and possibly Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. This series is of moderate extent.
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Minehart series. (Soil Survey of Clark Mountain, Jean Lake, and Cresent Park Grazing Allotments, California; by Carrie-Ann Houdeshell, Natural RFesources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Minehart soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 2 to 8 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from volcanic and metamorphic rocks. Elevations are 1,300 to 1,450 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, intermittently moist summers.
The Minehart series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from volcanic and metamorphic rocks. Minehart soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 200 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 18 degrees C. The frost-free season is 180 to 240 days.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Ustic Paleargids
Soil moisture - Usually dry, moist in some part from December to March and intermittently moist for 10 to 20 days during July to October following summer convection storms; aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C.
Depth to argillic horizon: 5 to 10 centimeters.
Clay content: Averages 18 to 27 percent.
Control section - Rock fragments: Averages 5 to 20 percent, mainly gravel.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly galleta, bush muhly, black grama, Coopers goldenbush and banana yucca.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southeastern California; MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.
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Generalized soil-landscape:
This region occurs in the south-east of the Emirate. It comprises dune ridges set out in a roughly rectangular pattern and comprising a mix of barchan, seif and star dunes together with intervening deflation flats and inland sabkha. Surface lag gravels are common on many of the flats and often extend part way up the gently sloping windward face of the dune
ridges.
For more information about soil classification in the UAE, visit:
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For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
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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:
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!!!
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A representative soil profile of the Medora series in an area of Medora silt loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of Bartholomew County, Indiana; by Mike Wigginton and Dena Marshall, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Medora series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in loess, loamy material and a paleosol in outwash on eskers and crevasse fillings. They are moderately deep or shallow to a fragipan. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1067 mm (42 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C (53 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Typic Fragiudults
Thickness of the loess: 30 to 91 cm (12 to 36 inches)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: more than 203 cm (80 inches)
Depth to the top of the fragipan: 51 to 91 cm (20 to 36 inches), but severely eroded pedons can range from 30 to 51 cm (12 to 20 inches)
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are being used to grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. Some areas are for hay and pasture. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 114A in southeastern Indiana. This series is of small extent.
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The Bonilla series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in loamy glacial till in drainageways and swales of the uplands. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow or moderate in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 23 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 47 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Haplustolls
The depth to carbonates ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 40 inches and it extends into or through the Bw horizon. The control section averages between 18 and 30 percent clay.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, oats, soybeans, grain sorghum, tame grass, and alfalfa are the main crops. Native vegetation is mainly big bluestem, green needlegrass, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, sideoats grama, little bluestem, leadplant, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central and southeastern South Dakota. It is of large extent.
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The Chenneby series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy and silty sediments on flood plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Fluvaquentic Dystrudepts
Solum thickness ranges from 30 to 70 inches. Depth to rock is more than 6 feet. Mica flakes range from none to common in the solum. Chenneby soils do not have iron depletions in shades of gray immediately below the A horizon. Reaction ranges from strongly acid through moderately acid in the A horizon, except where limed, and from extremely acid through moderately acid in the B and C horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: About 50 percent of the Chenneby soils are used for cotton, corn, soybeans, and pasture. The native vegetation is ash, hackberry, birch, ironwood, sycamore, water oak, yellow-poplar, sweetgum, and pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
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Ar Rafah soil series (NE026) UAE
The Ar Rafah series is shallow to calcareous sandstone bedrock. It has formed in sandy, or loamy and sandy, marine deposits over a lithified dune.
Taxonomic classification: Lithic Aquisalids, sandy, carbonatic, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizons described in this profile are: Salic horizon 0 to 40 cm, and Lithic contact at 40 cm. Although the surface layer has a sufficient amount of gypsum for a gypsic horizon, it does not meet the minimum 15 cm thickness requirement.
The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.4 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) ranges from 15.0 to 60.0 dS/m throughout. Depth to sandstone (lithified dune) ranges from 30 to 50 cm. Depth to the water table ranges from 25 to 100 cm. Fragments of seashells range from 0 to 30% throughout.
The A horizon ranges from 5 to 10 cm thick. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sand, loamy fine sand, loamy sand or sandy loam, including channery texture modifiers. The A horizon commonly has 5 to 10% gypsum.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 4. Redoximorphic features in the form of masses of oxidized iron are commonly present. It is fine sand or loamy fine sand, including channery texture modifiers. Individual layers of fine sandy loam or sandy loam are also included, but they make up less than half of the particle-size control section.
The R horizon is calcareous sandstone of varying thickness from 25 to 100 cm or more. Unconsolidated marine deposits are commonly below the sandstone.
A towed electrode-array (six coulter-electrodes) soil ECa mapping system behind a utility vehicle in a field of corn stubble.
Soil electrical resistivity represents the capacity of soil materials to resist the flow of electrical current. Methods that calculate the apparent electrical resistivity use Ohm’s law and the measured injected current, the measured potential difference, and a geometric factor. The geometric factor is a function of the electrode spacing or configuration (Samouёlian et al., 2005). The apparent resistivity is a complex function of the composition and arrangement of solid soil constituents, porosity, porewater saturation, pore-water conductivity, and temperature (Samouёlian et al., 2005). Electrical resistivity methods can be divided into those that inject currents into the ground through direct coupling and those that inject through capacitively induced coupling. Typically, both types of methods measure the apparent electrical resistivity, which is subsequently converted to its inverse, the apparent electrical conductivity of the soil.
Highly mobile, continuously recording, towed-array ER systems have been developed to expedite fieldwork and facilitate the collection of spatially dense data sets at field scales. In the United States, towed electrode-array ER systems have been used in precision agriculture and soil research.
Landscape: Upland
Landform: Ridge, hill, and hillslope
Geomorphic Component: Interfluve, head slope, nose slope, or side slope
Hillslope Profile Position: Summit, shoulder, or backslope
Parent Material Origin: Nearly horizontal, interbedded gray and brown acid siltstone, shale, and sandstone
Parent Material Kind: Residuum
Slope: 0 to 70 percent
Elevation: 91 to 1097 meters (300 to 3600 feet)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludults
Depth to the top of the Argillic: 13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 inches)
Depth to the base of the Argillic: 53 to 94 cm (21 to 37 inches)
Solum Thickness: 45 to 91 cm (18 to 36 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth Class: Moderately deep
Rock Fragment content: 5 to 40 percent, by volume, in the solum and 30 to 90 percent, by volume, in the C horizon. The rock fragment content is less than 35 percent, by volume, in the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon. Rock fragments are mostly angular to subangular channers of shale, siltstone, and sandstone.
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid through strongly acid throughout, except where limed
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Hayland, pasture, cropland, and woodland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--Grass-legume hay, corn, soybeans, wheat, or oats. Where wooded--Oaks, maple, hickory, and yellow-poplar.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Extent: Large, over 6 million acres, at the time of this revision
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Photos courtesy of Douglas Freese, consulting soil scientist
The Birome series consists of moderately deep, well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in iron enriched loamy
and clayey sediments. These gently sloping to moderately steep soils are on low hills and ridges. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Ultic Paleustalfs
The solum thickness and depth to sandstone ranges 20 to 40 inches. Ironstone and sandstone pebbles and sandstone fragments less than an inch to 3 inches thick and 3 to about 10 inches across the long axis cover 0 to 20 percent of the soil surface. Pebbles and fragments comprise 0 to 35 percent of the epipedon and 0 to 10 percent in the argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly in wooded pasture. Native vegetation consists of little bluestem, purpletop, and shrubs with an overstory of post oak and blackjack oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Texas mainly in the East Cross Timbers land resource area. The soils are of moderate
extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BIROME.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
(Guangdong Province, PRC; Rhodic Kandiudult PRC-03)
Rhodic Kandiudults soils are like Typic Kandiudults, but the upper part of their kandic horizon has hue of 2.5YR or redder, a color value, moist, of 3 or less, and a dry value no more than 1 unit higher than the moist value. Rhodic Kandiudults are of small extent in the United States. The natural vegetation consisted of forest plants. Slopes range from nearly level to moderately steep. Many of these soils are used as cropland. Some, particularly the most sloping ones, are used as forest. Some are used as pasture or homesites.
Kandiudults are the Udults that are very deep and have a kandic horizon and a clay distribution in which the percentage of clay does not decrease from its maximum amount by as much as 20 percent within a depth of 150 cm from the mineral soil surface, or the layer in which the clay percentage decreases has at least 5 percent of the volume consisting of skeletans on faces of peds and there is at least a 3 percent (absolute) increase in clay content below this layer. These soils do not have a fragipan or a horizon in which plinthite either forms a continuous phase or constitutes one-half or more of the volume within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface. Kandiudults are of moderate extent in the Southeastern United States.
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
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-...
The Fuquay series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments of the upper Coastal Plain. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the subsoil and slow in the lower part. Slopes range from 0 to 10 percent.
Taxonomic class: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Arenic Plinthic Kandiudults
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cropland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--tobacco, cotton, corn, soybeans, and small grains. Where wooded--loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and slash pine, with some hardwoods, understory plants including American holly, flowering dogwood, persimmon, and greenbrier.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
Extent: Large
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Johnston County, North Carolina; 1965. The Fuquay series is a Benchmark soil.
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.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FUQUAY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Culleoka series consists of moderately deep, well drained, soils formed in colluvium or residuum from siltstone or interbedded shale, limestone, siltstone, and fine grained sandstone. Slope ranges from 2 to 70 percent. Near the type location the mean annual precipitation is about 47.5 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 54.7 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Hapludalfs
Thickness of the solum and depth to lithic bedrock of dominantly siltstone or fine grained sandstone is 20 to 40 inches. Content of flagstones and channers range from 0 to 35 percent in the A horizon, 10 to 35 percent in the B horizon, and 25 to 80 percent in the BC and C horizons. Reaction ranges from moderately to strongly acid in the solum and strongly to slightly acid in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Chiefly pasture and hay, with some tobacco, corn, and small grains. Native forest has oak, maple, black walnut, ash, hickory, beech, elm, hackberry, locust, Kentucky coffeetree, redbud, dogwood, and red cedar as the dominant species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Bluegrass region of Kentucky, the outer Central Basin of Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is of moderate extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CULLEOKA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Tate series. (Soil Survey of Polk County, North Carolina; by Scott C. Keenen, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Tate series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on benches, fans, and toe slopes in coves in the Blue Ridge (MLRA 130). They formed in colluvium weathered from felsic to mafic high-grade metamorphic rocks. Mean annual temperature is 52 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation about 52 inches near the type location. Slope ranges from 2 to 50 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludults
Thickness of the solum ranges from 24 to more than 60 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. Content of rock fragments is less than 35 percent by volume in the A and Bt horizons, and less than 60 percent in the BC and C horizons. The soil is very strongly acid to slightly acid unless limed. Content of mica flakes is few or common.
USE AND VEGETATION: About half is cleared and used for growing corn, small grain, tobacco, truck crops, and pasture. Common trees in forested areas are scarlet oak, white oak, yellow-poplar, eastern white pine, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, and northern red oak. Understory plants include mountain-laurel, rhododendron, blueberry, greenbrier, flowering dogwood, black locust, honeysuckle, sourwood, and flame azalea.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Blue Ridge (MLRA 130) of North Carolina, Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and possibly Georgia and South Carolina. The series has large extent.
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/T/TATE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Fuquay series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments of the upper Coastal Plain. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the subsoil and slow in the lower part. Slopes range from 0 to 10 percent.
Taxonomic class: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Arenic Plinthic Kandiudults
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cropland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--tobacco, cotton, corn, soybeans, and small grains. Where wooded--loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and slash pine, with some hardwoods, understory plants including American holly, flowering dogwood, persimmon, and greenbrier.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
Extent: Large
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Johnston County, North Carolina; 1965. The Fuquay series is a Benchmark soil.
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.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FUQUAY.html
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The Cataula series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in material weathered from metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Piedmont. They contain a layer that is dense and partially brittle. Permeability is slow. Slopes range from 2 to 25 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Oxyaquic Kanhapludults
Depth to the dense, partially brittle layer ranges from 15 to 40 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 5 feet. The solum ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches thick. Content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to about 7 percent by volume. These consist of angular fragments of quartz often occurring as quartz stringers. The A horizon is very strongly acid to slightly acid, and all of the other horizons are very strongly acid to moderately acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas had been cleared and used for growing cotton, corn, small grain, and pasture, but now about 75 percent of the total acreage is in shortleaf and loblolly pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Piedmont of South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. The series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CATAULA.html
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Lloyd soil series.
Landscape: A stand of loblolly pine in an area of Lloyd sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes. This very deep, well drained soil is well suited to pine tree growth. (Soil Survey of Monroe County, Georgia; by Dee C. Pederson and Sherry E. Carlson, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Lloyd series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands in the Southern Piedmont. The soils formed in residuum derived from intermediate and mafic, igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kanhapludults
Most areas are cleared and used for cultivated crops or pasture. Principal crops are corn, small grain, hay and pasture grasses. Common trees in forested areas are loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, northern red oak, southern red oak, white oak, post oak, hickory, and red maple. Understory plants include dogwood, winged elm, eastern hophornbeam, eastern redbud, eastern red cedar, and sassafras.
These soils are of large extent in the Southern Piedmont in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, and possibly Alabama, and Virginia.
These soils were combined with Hiwassee in 1969. Hiwassee series was originally established on high stream terraces. This revision separates the soils formed in residuum as Lloyd on the basis of parent material and depth of Rhodic colors. Terrace Hiwassee soils are dominantly value 3 or less throughout. A proposal to amend the 1996 Keys to Soil Taxonomy involves changing the thickness of the part of the kandic horizon with value of 3 or less to include more soils in the Rhodic subgroup.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/georgia/monroe...
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LLOYD.html
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A soil profile of Bethlehem soil. (Soil Survey of Polk County, North Carolina; by Scott C. Keenan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Bethlehem series consists of well drained, moderately deep soils on ridgetops and side slopes in the upper part of the Piedmont. They formed in residuum weathered from the high-grade metamorphic rocks such as sillimanite schist, phyllite schist, and mica schist. Slopes range from 2 to 45 percent. Near the type location, mean annual air temperature is 58 degrees and mean annual precipitation is 49 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults
The solum ranges from 20 to 40 inches thick over a Cr horizon of weathered bedrock. Hard bedrock is deeper than 40 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid unless limed. Content of flakes of mica ranges from few to common in the A and upper B horizons, and from few to many in the lower B and C horizons. Rock fragment content ranges from 0 to 60 percent by volume in the A horizon, from 0 to 35 percent in the E, BA, BE, and Bt horizons, and from 15 to 60 percent in the BC and C horizons. Fragments are dominantly gravel or cobbles.
USE AND VEGETATION: Approximately half of the acreage is cleared. Chief crops are hay, corn, and pasture. The remainder is in mixed hardwoods and pines including shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, scarlet oak, chestnut oak, white oak, and black oak. Common understory plants are sourwood, flowering dogwood, greenbrier, sassafras, grape, poison ivy, American holly, and blueberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. This series is of moderate extent.
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/BETHLEHEM.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil Profile: The Lake Charles series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in clayey sediments. These soils are on broad coastal prairies. Slopes are mainly less than 1 percent, but range from 0 to 8 percent. (Photos by W.L. Miller, USDA-NRCS, retired)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Hapluderts
Classification changed from thermic Typic Pelluderts to hyperthermic Typic Hapluderts 3/94 based on Amendment 16 to Soil Taxonomy. Temperature regime changed based on local data and study by Texas Agriculture Experiment Station. The series type location was moved to the current location during the Soil Data Join and Recorrelation initiative to a location that is more central to the map unit concept.
Landscape: Lake Charles soils are mainly in cultivation and native pasture. Crops are corn, cotton, rice, and grain sorghum. Native grasses include little bluestem, indiangrass, eastern gamagrass, switchgrass, big bluestem, and brownseed paspalum. Most areas have scattered live oak, water oak, elm, hackberry, and huisache trees. Pine trees have encroached in some areas.
This is a cyclic soil and undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with microknolls 15 to 38 cm (6 to 15 in) higher than microdepressions. Distance from the center of the microknoll to the center of the microdepression ranges from 1.2 to 4.9 m (4 to 16 ft). The microknoll makes up about 20 percent, the intermediate or area between the knoll and depression about 60 percent, and the microdepression about 20 percent or less. The angle of the slickenside ranges from about 10 to 65 degrees from horizontal and tend to be more vertical in microknolls than in microdepressions. The amplitude of waviness between mollic colored matrix in the upper part of the solum and the higher value colors in the lower part ranges from 30 to 60 inches. When dry, the soil has cracks 1 to 5 cm (1/2 to 2 in) wide at the surface and extend to a depth of 30 cm (12 in) or more. Cracks remain open for 60 to 90 cumulative days in most years
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Texas mainly between the Colorado and Trinity Rivers of Texas. Land Resource Region T; Major Land Resource Area 150A. The series is extensive.
For additional information about Texas Vertisols, visit:
cristinemorgan.tamu.edu/research/crack_data/Vertisol-SSH_...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LAKE_CHARLES.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
(Kentucky Soil Atlas; by Anastasios D. Karathanasis, University of Kentucky; Photo by D. McIntosh)
The Highsplint series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils on mountains and hills. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. These soils formed in stony, loamy colluvium weathered from sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Slopes range from 5 to 100 percent, but are dominantly 35 to 75 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Typic Dystrudepts
Thickness of the solum ranges from 40 to 60 inches or more. Depth to bedrock ranges from 48 to 60 inches or more. Rock fragments, mostly sandstone channers and flagstones, commonly make up 35 to 90 percent of the soils volume. A few pedons, to a depth of about 24 inches, have horizons containing 15 to 35 percent rock fragments. Reaction is extremely to slightly acid in the surface layer and extremely to strongly acid in the solum and substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in second growth forest with mixed stands of sugar maple, yellow poplar, chestnut oak, red maple, black locust, northern red oak, white oak, American beech, and hickories. Minor species include cucumber tree, black oak, green ash, sweet birch, and black cherry. A few of the less sloping areas are used for pasture and sites for homes and gardens and residential development is dense in some areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Highsplint soils are in the Allegheny-Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and possibly similar areas in Tennessee. The series is estimated to be of large extent with over 100,000 acres mapped.
Highsplint soils were previously mapped as the stony phase of Jefferson or Muskingum soils. Most pedons have higher bulk densities in the lower subsoil because water moves laterally under saturated conditions above this layer. Commonly these soils have well-expressed cambic horizons with few clay skins, but lack sufficient clay increase with depth for argillic horizons.
For additional information about Kentucky soils, visit:
uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_book/4/
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/H/HIGHSPLINT.html
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Soil profile of Mariscal very channery loam, in an area of Mariscal-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes. Note the varying thickness of the fractured limestone bedrock and interbedded marl. (Soil Survey of Big Bend National Park, Texas; by: James Gordon, Soil Scientist, James A. Douglass, Soil Scientist, and Dr. Lynn E. Loomis, Soil Scientist, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Mariscal series consists of very shallow or shallow, well drained soils that are moderately permeable above a very slowly permeable limestone bedrock. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from beds of platy limestone. These soils are on gently sloping to very steep uplands. Slope ranges from 1 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm (11 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 21.1 degrees C (70.0 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, hyperthermic Lithic Ustic Torriorthents
Soil moisture: The moisture control section is dry in all parts more than three fourths of the time the soil temperature exceeds 5.0 degrees C (41 degrees F). Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during June to September. More than 60 percent of the annual rainfall occurs during that period. The soil does not receive significant amounts of moisture during winter months. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22.0 to 25.6 degrees C (72 to 78 degrees F)
Depth to bedrock: mainly 10 to 30 cm, but ranging up to 50 cm (4 to 12 inches, but ranging up to 20 inches).
Particle size control section (weighted average):
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 70 percent in the fine earth fraction and ranges to 80 percent when less than 20 millimeter fragments are included.
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent channers or flagstones.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used as rangeland. Vegetation physiognomy is desert shrubland. Dominant woody plants are creosotebush, lechuguilla, feather dalea, yucca, catclaw acacia, and whitethorn acacia. Grasses include chino grama, black grama, fluffgrass, and threeawns.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Southern Edwards Plateau (MLRA 81D) and Trans Pecos (MLRA 42) of Texas. The series is extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/bigbendT...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MARISCAL.html
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A representative soil profile of the Iredell soil series. (Soil Survey of Appomattox County, Virginia; by William F. Kitchel, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
The Iredell series consists of moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils. These soils formed in material weathered from diabase, diorite, gabbro, and other rocks high in ferro-magnesium minerals. They are on uplands throughout the Piedmont. Slope is dominantly less than 6 percent but ranges up to 15 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Oxyaquic Vertic Hapludalfs
Thickness of the solum ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to paralithic contact (Cr horizon) is 40 to more than 60 inches. Depth to hard bedrock is more than 60 inches. Linear extensibility totals 6.0 cm or more between the surface and paralithic contact. Most pedons have few to many dark concretions throughout the profile. Many pedons have few to many dark mottles or soft bodies in the B and C horizons. Some pedons have few to many flakes of mica or crystals of feldspar in the B and C horizons. The soil is strongly acid to neutral in the A horizon, moderately acid to mildly alkaline in the B horizon, and neutral to moderately alkaline in the C horizon. Content of rock fragments, up to 24 inches in diameter, ranges from 0 to 30 percent in the A horizon and E horizon, 0 to 20 percent in the Bt horizon, and 0 to 10 percent in the C horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for growing cotton, small grain, hay, or pasture. Forested areas are dominantly in post and white oaks.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Piedmont areas of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is of large extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/virginia/VA011...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/I/IREDELL.html
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Ar Ramiah soil series (NE024) UAE
The Ar Ramlah series formed in sandy, or sandy and loamy, marine deposits. It is shallow or moderately deep to a water table, which occurs within 100 cm.
Taxonomic classification: Gypsic Aquisalids, sandy, carbonatic, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizons described in this profile are: Gypsic horizon, 0 to 20 cm; Salic horizon 0 to 110 cm.
The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.6 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) ranges from 15.0 to 62.0 dS/m throughout. Depth to the water table ranges from 15 to 90 cm. Fragments of seashells range from 0 to 30% throughout.
The A horizon ranges from 5 to 25 cm thick. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is coarse gypsum material, fine gypsum material; or gypsiferous fine sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand, including channery texture modifiers. Gypsum content is generally in the form of fine to coarse crystals and ranges from 15 to 50%. The A horizon may be very weakly cemented or weakly cemented by gypsum; However, roots appear to be able to penetrate at less than 10 cm spacing. Some pedons are not cemented.
The B horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 3. Redoximorphic features in the form of masses of oxidized iron are in the upper part of most pedons. It is fine sand or loamy fine sand; including channery texture modifiers. Individual layers of fine sandy loam or sandy loam are also included, but they make up less than half of the particle-size control section. Some pedons have silty clay loam or clay loam below 100 cm. Gypsum content is generally less than 5% below depths of about 50 cm.
The Wake series consists of excessively drained, shallow, sandy soils on uplands of the Southern Piedmont. They formed in residuum weathered from igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks such as granite and gneiss. Slope ranges from 2 to 45 percent. Near the type location, the mean annual rainfall is about 48 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 61 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Lithic Udipsamments
For more information on Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class/
For a detailed description of the soil, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WAKE.html
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L to R:
Roger Leab, MLRA Project Leader, NRCS, Greensboro, NC
Doug Thomas, Soil Survey Project Leader, NRCS, Waynesville, NC
John Kelley, Regional Soil Scientist, MO-14, NRCS, Raleigh, NC
Soil scientists explore and seek to understand the earth’s land and water resources. Practitioners of soil science identify, interpret, and manage soils for agriculture, forestry, rangeland, ecosystems, urban uses, and mining and reclamation in an environmentally responsible way.
Soil survey or soil mapping, is the process of classifying soil types and other soil properties in a given area and geo-encoding such information. It applies the principles of soil science, and draws heavily from geomorphology, theories of soil formation, physical geography, and analysis of vegetation and land use patterns. Primary data for the soil survey are acquired by field sampling and by remote sensing.
In the past, a soil scientist would take hard-copies of aerial photography, topo-sheets, and mapping keys into the field with them. Today, a growing number of soil scientists bring a ruggedized tablet computer and GPS into the field with them.
The term soil survey may also be used as a noun to describe the published results. In the United States, these surveys were once published in book form for individual counties by the National Cooperative Soil Survey.
Today, soil surveys are no longer published in book form; they are published to the web and accessed on NRCS Web Soil Survey where a person can create a custom soil survey. This allows for rapid flow of the latest soil information to the user. In the past it could take years to publish a paper soil survey. The information in a soil survey can be used by farmers and ranchers to help determine whether a particular soil type is suited for crops or livestock and what type of soil management might be required.
An architect or engineer might use the engineering properties of a soil to determine whether it is suitable for a certain type of construction. A homeowner may even use the information for maintaining or constructing their garden, yard, or home. Soils are the basis of agriculture and play a critical role in agricultural production as they provide the medium upon which crops can grow. Yet, during the past few decades, focus on the importance of soils has diminished, coupled with harsh man-made and natural conditions that have resulted in soil erosion and soil nutrient mining.
For more information about Describing and Sampling soils, visit;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit;
sites.google.com/site/dinpuithai/Home
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A representative soil profile of the Hooksan series. (Photo provided by Pete Fletcher, USDA-NRCS; New England Soil Profiles)
Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class: Excessively drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Very high
Permeability (Obsolete): Very rapid
Surface Runoff: Very slow
Parent Material: Eolian sands derived from sandy marine deposits
Slope: 0 to 35 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 13 degrees Celsius (56 degrees F).
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 111.7 centimeters (44 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mesic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamments
Thickness of the Underlying Material: Greater than 182 centimeters (72 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 150 centimeters (60 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: Greater than 182 centimeters (72 inches)
Rock Fragments: 0 to 5 percent, by volume throughout the profile, mostly shells. Some pedons may contain individual layers lees 30 centimeters (1 foot) thick with up to 10 percent fragments.
Soil Reaction: Strongly acid to slightly alkaline A or AC horizon and moderately acid to slightly alkaline in the C horizon
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use: Most of these soils are used for ecological services (e.g., mitigation of coastal erosion and flooding), recreation, urban development, beach cottages, and wildlife
Native vegetation consists of beach grasses, poison ivy, beach plum, American holly, red cedar, black cherry, smooth sumac, green briar, and prickly pear cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Mainly bordering the North Atlantic Coast in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine.
Extent: Moderate
For additional information about New England soils, visit:
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/H/HOOKSAN.html
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Argixerolls. (Soil Survey of Pinnacles National Monument, California; by Ken Oster, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: View from North Chalone Peak, extending from Hawkins Peak down to Bear Creek. Shown are the pinnacles of rhyolitic breccia, Argixerolls gravelly sandy loam under the darker patches of chamise chaparral, and Burgundy extremely gravelly sandy loam under the paler patches of grasses and forbs.
Argixerolls consists of soils that are shallow or moderately deep to hard bedrock and are well drained. These soils formed in residuum derived from rhyolite. They are on hills. Slopes range from 20 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation
is about 17 inches (432 millimeters), and the mean annual air temperature is about 61 degrees F (16 degrees C).
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.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA7...
As Sirer soil series (NE006) UAE
The As Sirer series is a very deep soil formed in stratified sandy and loamy alluvial deposits with a thin eolian mantle.
Taxonomic classification: Typic Torriorthents, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizon described in this profile is: None.
This soil is classified as having a sandy particle-size class, rather than sandy over loamy because the horizon with an overall loamy texture (Ck3 in this typical profile) is stratified with both sandy and loamy textures. Also, the horizon boundary transition is often a bit more than the taxonomic minimum of 12.5 cm thick, and the thickness of the horizon varies in the profile from about 5 cm to 15 cm
Typic Torriorthents are fixed on the driest Torriorthents. Typic Torriorthents are extensive soils in the intermountain States of the United States. Most of them have moderate or strong slopes and are used only for grazing. Others that have gentle slopes are irrigated. The gently sloping soils are mostly on fans or piedmont slopes where the sediments are recent and have little organic carbon.
Some part of the particle-size control section has texture of loamy very fine sand or finer. The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.6 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) is generally less than 1.0 dS/m in all horizons, but may be higher in some areas that have been irrigated. Most pedons have little or no gravel lag on the surface, but there may be as much as 20% cover of gravel in some places.
The A horizon is generally about 20 cm thick, but ranges from 10 to 25 cm. Hue is 7.5YR or 10YR, value is 4 to 6, and chroma is 3 to 6. Texture is loamy fine sand, very fine sand, or fine sandy loam. As much as 5% fine or medium gravel may be present. A thin layer of loam or silt loam overwash may be present on the surface of some pedons in wadis as a result of brief ponding and sedimentation after heavy rains.
The C horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is stratified fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand, sand, or coarse sand, including gravelly texture modifiers above 100 cm, and gravelly, very gravelly or extremely gravelly texture modifiers below 100 cm. Fine to medium gravel ranges from 0 to 25% in individual horizons above 100 cm and from 0 to 60% below 100 cm.
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of an Plinthudult 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.)
In this pedon, the subsoil is dominated by iron cementation, either in the form of plinthite or ironstone nodules. Plinthic material is moderately or less cemented, and ironstone is strongly or more cemented.
Landscape: Typical landscape and vegetation (eucalyptus plantation) associated with Plinthudults occurring on the backslope of an interfluve in Brazil.
In USDA Soil Taxonomy, Plinthudults have one or more horizons within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface in which plinthite either forms a continuous phase or constitutes one-half or more of the volume. They are the more or less freely drained Udults that have a large amount of plinthite in the argillic or kandic horizon. They are mainly in intertropical regions and in some areas are extensive. They are not known to occur in the United States. The great group is provided for use in other parts of the world.
Plinthudult (Plinthossolos) and landscape BRAZIL--In the Brazil soil classification system, these soils are characterized by the presence of plinthite (kaolinite and iron oxides). They are high in iron and low in organic carbon, with possible sites of extractable aluminum. Classified by either color of soil matrix or consistency. They have low natural fertility, found mainly in the Amazon, usually on the lower back half of back slopes.
For additional information about these soils, visit:
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and...
For additional information about U.S. soil classification, visit:
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Sengtown gravelly silt loam. Gravelly clay textures are below a depth of about 45 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Hickman County, Tennessee; by Douglas F. Clendenon, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: A valley area that includes Etowah, Waynesboro, and Sengtown soils. These soils are well suited to cropland, pasture, and hay. (Soil Survey of Overton County, Tennessee; by Carlie McCowan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Sengtown series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands. They formed in residuum weathered from cherty limestone. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleudalfs
Solum thickness and depth to limestone bedrock are greater than 60 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid except where limed. Average content of coarse fragments ranges between l5 and 35 percent in the solum. Transition horizons have colors and texture similar to adjacent horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cleared areas are used for pasture, hay, small grain, tobacco, and corn. The remaining areas are in oak-hickory forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Highland Rim of Tennessee. The area is of large extent. Sengtown soils were formerly mapped in the Fullerton and Baxter series.
For additional information about the survey areas, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/tennessee/TN08...
and...
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/tennessee/TN13...
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UAE (NE002)
The Fujairah series is a very deep soil formed in alluvial deposits that are nearly all gravel, cobble, and stones, with less than 10% sand or finer-size particles.
Taxonomic classification: Typic Torriorthents, fragmental, mixed, hyperthermic
Typic Torriorthents are fixed on the driest Torriorthents. Typic Torriorthents are extensive soils in the intermountain States of the United States. Most of them have moderate or strong slopes and are used only for grazing. Others that have gentle slopes are irrigated. The gently sloping soils are mostly on fans or piedmont slopes where the sediments are recent and have little organic carbon.
The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.0 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) is generally less than 1.0 dS/m in all horizons. Rock fragments ranging from gravel to stones and boulders cover the surface. A dark desert varnish is common on the exposed surfaces of the rock fragments. Due to the extremely coarse texture of this soil, the horizons described are thought to be more reflective of varying depositional episodes rather than pedogenic development.
The C horizons have hue of 7.5YR, or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. They are composed of 90% or more gravel, cobbles, and stones of varying proportions. The vertical and under-sides of rock fragments are coated with calcium carbonate in most places. The fine-earth fraction makes up less than 10% of the soil volume and ranges from coarse sand to sandy loam. Some pedons have no cementation.
As Sihebi soil series (NE020) UAE
The As Sihebi series is a very deep soil formed in loamy alluvial deposits with a thin eolian mantle.
Taxonomic classification: Typic Haplocambids, sandy over loamy, carbonatic, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizon described in this profile is: Cambic horizon 15 to 180 cm.
The pH (1:1) ranges from 6.8 to 8.2 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) ranges from 0.1 to 3.0. Gravel is less than 5% in this soil.
The A horizon ranges from about 10 to 30 cm thick. It has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is fine sand, or very fine sand..
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value 5 to 7, and chroma is 3 or 4. Texture is dominantly very fine sandy loam, or loam, but thin layers of very fine sand or fine sand are in the upper part. In some pedons the B horizon extends to 200 cm or more.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value 5 or 6, and chroma 3 or 4. It is fine sand, very fine sand, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. Some pedons do not have a C horizon within 200 cm.
These soils have 5 to 50 percent (by volume) plinthite in some horizon within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface. They are of small extent in the Southern United States. These soils are used as forest or have been cleared and are used as cropland or pasture.
Left: A soil profile of a "Plinthic Paleaquult" (Guangdong Province of China).
Center: Typical landscape associated with the soil profile (low-lying foreground).
Right: Redoximorphic feature in the lower subsoil (plinthite nodules) starting at about 110 cm and exceeding 5 percent at 130 cm
For more information about describing, sampling, classifying, and/or mapping soils, please refer to the following references: "Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils", "Keys to Soil Taxonomy", and the "Soil Survey Manual".
Typic Torriorthents, sandy-skeletal, mixed, hyperthermic (Soil AD151) are deep to very deep, sandy soils having ≥35% rock fragments or gravels on the surface and in the profile. These soils typically occupy older land surfaces. They occur throughout the Emirate but particularly in the north and east where they have been influenced by outwash deposits from the Oman Mountains. They are typically excessively drained or somewhat excessively drained and have rapid to very rapid permeability.
These soils occur on older eroded sediment surfaces usually in the level to gently undulating piedmont plain or gently undulating deflation plain.
These soils remain as a barren land or in some places have been leveled for agroforestry or sometimes used for low intensity grazing by camel, sheep or goats. They frequently have less than 5% vegetation cover of Haloxylon salicornicum, Tribulus arabicus and Zygophyllum qatarense.
These soils are common but not widespread being confined to the piedmont plain in the northeastern part of Abu Dhabi Emirate near Al Ain where they have been identified as a component of several map units.
Plate 49: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for Typic Torriorthents, sandy-skeletal, mixed, hyperthermic (Soil AD151).
A representative profile of Clarendon soil series.
Depth Class: very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): moderately well drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: moderately deep, common
Index Surface Runoff: low to medium
Permeability: moderately slow
Landscape: middle to upper coastal plain
Landform: uplands
Geomorphic Component: interfluves
Hillslope Profile Position: summit, shoulder
Parent Material: marine sediments
Slope: 0 to 6 percent
Elevation (type location):
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 65 degrees F.
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 45 inches
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Plinthaquic Paleudults
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 60 inches
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 18 to 30 inches, December to March
Rock Fragment content: ironstone, 0 to 10 percent in the A and E horizons and in the upper part of the Bt horizon, and 0 to than 2 percent in the lower part of the Bt horizon, by volume
Soil Reaction: is very strongly acid to slightly acid in the A horizon and extremely acid to strongly acid throughout the rest of the profile, except where limed
Thickness of solum: 60 to 80 or more inches
Depth to horizons with 5 percent or more plinthite: 20 to 58 inches
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: cropland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--growing tobacco, cotton, corn, soybeans, small grain, and pasture grasses. Where wooded--pine with scattered hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
Extent: large
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clarendon County, South Carolina; 1972.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CLARENDON.html
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Depth Class: Moderately deep to soft bedrock and deep or very deep to hard bedrock
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Well drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very deep
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
Index Surface Runoff: Low to high
Permeability: Moderate
Shrink-Swell Potential: Low
Landscape: Piedmont upland
Landform: Hill, ridge
Geomorphic Component: Interfluve, sideslope
Hillslope Profile Position: Summit, shoulder, back slope
Parent Material: Residuum weathered from mafic rock
Slope: 2 to 50 percent
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Hapludalfs
Depth to top of Argillic horizon: 4 to 15 inches
Depth to base of Argillic horizon: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to Bedrock: 20 to 40 inches to soft bedrock and 40 to 60 inches or more to hard bedrock
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: Greater than 60 inches
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 5 percent, by volume quartz gravel throughout and 3 to 35 percent partially weathered gneiss or schist fragments in the lower B horizon and the C horizon
Soil Reaction: Moderately acid to very strongly acid throughout, unless limed
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Woodland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--corn, soybeans, hay, and pasture. Where wooded--Upland oaks, and hickory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina
Extent: Small
For a detailed description, visit:
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Aquisalids are the salty soils in wet areas in the deserts where capillary rise and evaporation of water concentrate the salts near the surface. Some of these soils have redoximorphic depletions and concentrations. In other soils redoximorphic features may not be evident because of a high pH and the associated low redox potential, which inhibit iron and manganese reduction. These soils occur dominantly in depressional areas where ground water saturates the soils at least part of the year. The vegetation on these soils generally is sparse, consisting of salt-tolerant shrubs, grasses, and forbs. Although these soils may hold water at a tension less than 1500 kPa, the dissolved salt content makes the soils physiologically dry.
Anhydritic Aquisalids have an anhydric horizon within 100 cm of the soil surface. The anhydritic horizon is a horizon in which anhydrite has accumulated through neoformation or transformation to a significant exent. It typically occurs as a subsurface horizon. It commonly occurs in conjunction with a salic horizon.
Anhydrite is a mineral—anhydrous calcium sulfate, CaSO4. Distinctly developed crystals are somewhat rare, the mineral usually presenting the form of cleavage masses. The hardness is 3.5 and the specific gravity 2.9. The color is white, sometimes greyish, bluish, or purple. When exposed to water, anhydrite readily transforms to the more commonly occurring gypsum, (CaSO4·2H2O) by the absorption of water. This transformation is reversible, with gypsum or calcium sulfate hemihydrate forming anhydrite by heating to ~200°C under normal atmospheric conditions. Anhydrite is commonly associated with calcite and halite.
Identification of anhydrite is important when determining soil strength. Soils high in anhydrite exhibit fluidity and lack soil strength and load bearing capacity. Moisture content strongly influences soil’s consistence and a water table is commonly within the soil profile. The manner in which specimens of soil fail under increasing force ranges widely and usually is highly dependent on water state. To test for fluidity, a handful of soil material is squeezed in the hand. For moderately fluid materials after exerting full pressure, most flows through the fingers; a small residue remains in the palm of the hand.
For example, if some of the soil flows between the fingers with difficulty, the n value is between 0.7 and less than 1.0 (slightly fluid manner of failure class); if the soil flows easily between the fingers, the n value is 1 or more (moderately fluid or very fluid manner of failure class) depending on what remains in the palm of the hand.
Refer to: