Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Carnasaw series. (Soil Survey of Pike County, Arkansas; by Jeffrey W. Olson, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: An area of Littlefir-Carnasaw complex, 1 to 8 percent slopes. This map unit is well suited to pasture and hayland. Carnasaw soils are on nearly level to very steep sideslopes of the Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas Valley and Ridges. Slopes are 1 to 60 percent. These soils formed in residuum weathered from shale of Pennsylvanian age.

The Carnasaw series consists of deep to bedrock, well drained, slowly permeable upland soils.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludults

Solum thickness and depth to shale bedrock ranges from 40 to 60 inches.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as woodland. Some less sloping areas are used for cropland or tame pasture. Native forest vegetation is blackjack oak, loblolly pine, post oak, red oak, white oak, hickory, and shortleaf pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas Valley and Ridges (MLRA 118) (MLRA 119) of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The series is of moderate extent. Carnasaw soils formerly were included in the Enders series.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/arkansas/pikeA...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CARNASAW.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#carnasaw

A soil profile of a Hapludoll from the steppes of Ukraine. It has a very thick, very dark brown to black mollic epipedon about 120 cm thick. The right side of the profile has been smoothed. (Soil Survey Staff. 2015. Illustrated guide to Soil Taxonomy. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, Nebraska)

Hapludolls generally have a cambic (minimal soil development) subsoil horizon below a mollic epipedon, but some only have a mollic epipedon and no other diagnostic horizons. There may be a zone of calcium carbonate accumulation below the cambic horizon. Hapludolls formed mostly in Holocene or late-Pleistocene deposits or on surfaces of that age. Slopes generally are gentle, and most of the soils are cultivated. Hapludolls are extensive in Iowa, Minnesota, and adjacent States.

For additional information about soil classification, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...

Soil profile: Typical profile of Clementsville silt loam in an area of Clementsville-Ard complex, 4 to 12 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of Teton Area, Idaho and Wyoming; by Carla B. Rebernak, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Harvested grainfield in an area of Clementsville-Ard complex, 4 to 12 percent slopes. Clementsville and similar soils make up about 70 percent and Ard and similar soils make up about 20 percent of this map unit. Clementsville soils are on mountain slopes and have slopes of 4 to 12 percent.

The Clementsville series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum weatherd from rhyolite a with loess influence. The mean annual precipitation is about 530 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 3.3 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Calcic Pachic Haplocryolls

USE AND VEGETATION:

Major uses: Most areas are cultivated. Wheat, oats, and barley are the major crops.

Dominant native vegetation: mountain big sagebrush, tapertip hawksbeard, slender wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and bluebunch wheatgrass

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:

Distribution: Southeastern Idaho and Western Wyoming, MLRA 13

Extent: the series is not extensive

For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97d01af9d4554b9097cb0a477e04...

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/wyoming/TetonI...

For a detailed description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CLEMENTSVILLE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#badin

Vermont State Soil

Soil profile: The Tunbridge series consists of loamy, well-drained soils that formed in Wisconsin-age glacial till. These soils are 20 to 40 inches deep over schist, gneiss, phyllite, or granite bedrock. (Soil Survey of Bennington County, Vermont; by Carl Britt, Roderick Douglas and Thomas Villars, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Tunbridge soils occur extensively in mountainous areas of Vermont, in all but one county. They are used mainly for woodland. White ash, American beech, white birch, yellow birch, hemlock, white pine, red spruce, red maple, and sugar maple are typical species. Sugar maple is especially important; Vermont produces the largest amount of maple syrup in the U.S. Some areas have been cleared and are used for hay and pasture. Recreational uses are common on these soils. They include trails for hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and skiing.

The Tunbridge series became the third official State soil in the US in March 1985. The series was named after the town of Tunbridge, Orange County, Vermont.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/vermont/VT003/...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TUNBRIDGE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#tunbridge

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.

For more soil related images, visit:

www.flickr.com/photos/soilscience/sets/72157622983226139/

Figure 3-28. A field test on a soil with a moderately fluid manner of failure class. (Soil Survey Manual, USDA Handbook No. 18; issued March 2017).

Soil Consistence is the degree and kind of cohesion and adhesion that soil exhibits, and/or the resistance of soil to deformation or rupture under an applied stress.

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 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-...

Soil profile: A representative profile of Potomac soil, the dominant soil on first-bottom flood plains in the Bluestone National Scenic River area. Potomac soils are characterized by a high content of cobbles and gravel throughout and commonly have layers deposited from a series of flood events.

Landscape: Islands in the Bluestone River, as seen from the mouth of the Little Bluestone River, are mapped as Potomac-Nelse complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes, extremely stony, frequently flooded. (Soil Survey of Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia; by Eileen Klein, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Potomac-Nelse complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes, extremely stony, frequently flooded

Map Unit Setting

Landscape: Mountains

Major land resource area: 127—Eastern Allegheny Plateau and Mountains

Elevation: 435 to 478 meters

Mean annual precipitation: 865 to 1,044 millimeters

Mean annual air temperature: 6 to 18 degrees C

Frost-free period: 147 to 205 days

Map Unit Composition

Potomac and similar soils: 60 percent

Nelse and similar soils: 20 percent

Dissimilar minor components: 20 percent

Description of Potomac Soil

Taxonomic Classification: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Udifluvents

Setting

Landform: High-energy flood plains in river valleys

Landform position (two-dimensional): Toeslope

Landform position (three-dimensional): Tread

Down-slope shape: Linear

Across-slope shape: Linear

Aspect (representative): Southwest

Aspect range: All aspects

Slope range: 0 to 5 percent

Parent material: Skeletal, nonacid sandy alluvium derived from interbedded

sedimentary rock

Properties and Qualities

Depth to restrictive feature: None within a depth of 150 centimeters

Shrink-swell potential: Low (about 1.5 LEP)

Salinity maximum based on representative value: Nonsaline

Sodicity maximum: Not sodic

Calcium carbonate equivalent percent: No carbonates

Hydrologic Properties

Slowest capacity to transmit water (Ksat): Moderately high

Natural drainage class: Somewhat excessively drained

Flooding frequency: Frequent

Ponding frequency: None

Depth to seasonal water table: None within a depth of 160 centimeters

Available water capacity (entire profile): High (about 10.8 centimeters)

Interpretive Groups

Land capability subclass (nonirrigated): 5w

West Virginia grassland suitability group (WVGSG): Sands (SA3)

Dominant vegetation map class(es):

Floodplain Forest and Woodland

Modified Successional Floodplain Forest and Woodland

Oak - Hickory - Sugar Maple Forest

Hydric soil status: No

Hydrologic soil group: A

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/west_virginia/...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/POTOMAC.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#potomac

Soil profile: A typical profile of a San Juan sandy loam. San Juan series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in eolian sands over glacial outwash.

Landscape: Typical area of San Juan sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, in nonforested foreground, in the southern part of San Juan Island. (Soil Survey of San Juan County, Washington; by By Michael Regan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

San Juan soils are on dunes, hillslopes, and glacial outwash plains with slopes of 0 to 60 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 20 inches and average annual air temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, mesic Pachic Ultic Haploxerolls

Average annual soil temperature - 50 to 54 degrees F.

Soil moisture control section - dry 75 to 90 days following summer solstice

Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 32 inches

Base saturation by ammonium acetate - greater than 50 percent within the epipedon

Base saturation by sum of cations - less than 75 percent from 10 to 30 inches

Volcanic glass - less than 5 percent throughout

Particle size control section:

Clay Content - 0 to 12 percent

Rock fragments - 0 to 35 percent in the A2 and A3 horizons, 15 to 60 percent in the Bw horizon, and 35 to 85 percent in the C horizons with a weighted average between 15 and 35 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for wildlife habitat, pasture, and hay. Potential natural vegetation may include an overstory of scattered Oregon white oak and Douglas-fir but is primarily prairie vegetation including Roemers fescue, western brackenfern, baldhip rose, common snowberry, and trailing blackberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest Washington; MLRA 2, Northern part. Series is of small extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/50990402197/in/dateposted-...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SAN_JUAN.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#san%20juan

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of a Mollisol 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.)

Landscape: Typical landscape and vegetation (pastureland) occurring on upland side-slopes in Brazil.

Mollisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas, typically under a grassland cover. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina (Pampas) and Brazil, and in Asia in Mongolia and the Russian Steppes. Their parent material is typically base-rich and calcareous and include limestone, loess, or wind-blown sand. The main processes that lead to the formation of grassland Mollisols are melanisation, decomposition, humification and pedoturbation.

Mollisols have deep, high organic matter, nutrient-enriched surface soil (A horizon), typically more than 25 cm thick. This fertile surface horizon, known as a mollic epipedon, is the defining diagnostic feature of Mollisols. Mollic epipedons result from the long-term addition of organic materials derived from plant roots, and typically have soft, granular soil structure.

Mollisol (Chernossolos) and landscape BRAZIL--In the Brazil soil classification system, Chernossolos are soils with high clay activity that are very dark, well structured, rich in organic matter, high content of exchangeable cations. They are commonly not deep (<100cm) and are mostly found in the south and east parts of Brazil.

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...

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Alumrock series.

Landscape: An area of Alumrock soils in the Guadalupe Oak Grove Park in south San Jose near Guadalupe Creek. North slopes have oaks and annual grasses, and south slopes have fewer oaks. Slopes are moderately steep with rock outcrops in some areas. (Supplement to the Soil Survey of Santa Clara Area, California, Western Part; by William Reed, and Christopher “Kit” Paris, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Alumrock series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum from sandstone. Alumrock soils are on hills. Slopes range from 9 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 60 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argixerolls

Note: The soil had been moistened to a depth of 40cm at the time the photo was taken. The natural dark colored mollic epipedon, when moist, extended to a depth of 66cm.

Depth to slightly weathered sandstone is 50 to 100 cm. The mean annual soil temperature is 60 to 62 degrees F. The particle size control section averages 18 to 24 percent clay, and 1 to 35 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel. The soil is not calcareous. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 3 percent to a depth of 25 cm. Rock fragments on the surface range from 0 to 10 percent gravel.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation and urban uses. Vegetation is oaks and annual grasses in recreation areas and urban areas have lawn grasses and ornamental plants.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The soils are inextensive and are mapped in Santa Clara County Major Land Resource Area: 15 -- Central California Coast Range

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ALUMROCK.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#alumrock

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Tifton series; the State Soil of Georgia. (Soil Survey of Decatur County, Georgia; by Scott Moore, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Peanuts in an area of Tifton loamy sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes. Most areas of Tifton soils are under cultivation with cotton, corn, peanuts, vegetable crops, and small grains.

The Tifton series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy marine sediments. Tifton soils are on interfluves. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 18 degrees C (64 degrees F), and the mean annual precipitation is about 1360 millimeters (53 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults

Plinthite: Depth to horizons with 5 percent or more plinthite is dominantly 76 to 127 centimeters (30 to 50 inches), but in some pedons it is 63 centimeters (25 inches).

Silt content is less than 20 percent.

Depth to Redox features: Predominantly greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches), but some pedons have iron depletions below a depth of 76 centimeters (30 inches).

USE AND VEGETATION:

Most areas of Tifton soils are under cultivation with cotton, corn, peanuts, vegetable crops, and small grains. Some areas are in pasture and forestland. The forested areas consist largely of longleaf pine, loblolly pine, slash pine with some scattered hardwoods on cutover areas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:

Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): The series occurs primarily in the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A), but it also occurs to a lesser extent in the Atlantic Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 153A).

Extent: large extent

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

archive.org/details/decaturGA2007

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TIFTON.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#tifton

Soil profile: The Belmore series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loamy and gravelly outwash and are underlain by gravelly, sandy, and loamy outwash deposits. (Delaware County, Indiana; by Gary R. Struben, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: No-till soybeans in an area of Belmore silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, and Belmore silt loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes, eroded. Belmore soils are on terraces, outwash plains, and glacial drainage channels. Slope ranges from 0 to 50 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludalfs

Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 56 to 140 cm (22 to 55 inches) and commonly is the same as depth to carbonates

Special features: tongues of the B horizon in some pedons extend into the underlying outwash material to depths greater than 140 cm (55 inches)

Rock fragments: typically glacial pebbles of mixed lithology

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Belmore soils are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and hay are principal crops. Some areas are used for fruit, early truck crops, and sugar beets.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern and west-central Ohio and northern Indiana; mainly in MLRAs 99 and 111B, and of lesser extent in 111A and 111E. The type location is in MLRA 111B. The series is of moderate extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/indiana/IN035/...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BELMORE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#belmore

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Nolin series. (Soil Survey of Adair County, Kentucky; by Harry S. Evans, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: An area of Nolin soil in corn along a drainageway In karst topography in southern Christian County, KY. These soils are typically along drainageways, on flood plains, in depressions which receive runoff from surrounding slopes, or on natural levees of major streams and rivers. (Soil Survey of Christian County, Kentucky, by Ronald D. Froedge, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Nolin soils are very deep and well drained, They formed in alluvium derived from limestones, sandstones, siltstones, shales, and loess.

Slope ranges from 0 to 25 percent, but is dominantly 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is 56 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is 43 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Dystric Fluventic Eutrudepts

Solum thickness is 40 or more inches. Thickness of alluvial deposits ranges from 60 inches to many feet. Coarse fragments, mostly rounded pebbles, ranges from none to about 5 percent in the A and Bw horizon and from 0 to 35 percent in the C horizon. Redoximorphic features, if present, are below 72 inches. Reaction is moderately acid to moderately alkaline, but some pedons are strongly acid in the lower part of the Bw and C horizon. Some pedons have buried A or B horizons below a depth of 20 inches.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for growing corn, tobacco, soybeans, and hay. Forested areas are bottomland hardwoods, such as river birch, yellow-poplar, sycamore, elm, willow, boxelder, oak, hickory, and red maple. Many stream banks and narrow flood plains consist of native canebrakes.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In areas of mixed limestones and siltstones, sandstones, shales, and loess in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. The series is of large extent. Soils in the Nolin series were formerly included with the Huntington series. Huntington soils have a thicker, dark colored surface layer.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/kentucky/KY001...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/N/NOLIN.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#nolin

Farmers bring their loose grass to a central location where it is bailed and prepared for shipping and sale. I observed two areas where this occurred. The other was in the Liwa Oasis area.

www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/22683590537/in/album-72157...

Most of the UAE's cultivated land is taken up by date palms, which in the early 1990s numbered about 4 million.

An area of Dothan loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes. Dothan soils are well suited to locally grown crops such as corn, soybeans, and peanuts. Soil Survey of Halifax County, North Carolina; By Deborah T. Anderson, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Clare D. Cole, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources)

This gently sloping, very deep, well drained soil is on upland ridges in the Fall Line region of the upper Coastal Plain. Individual areas are irregular in shape and range from about 15 to 250 acres in size.

Important soil properties—

Permeability: Moderate in the upper part of the subsoil and moderately slow in the lower part

Available water capacity: Moderate

Surface runoff: Medium

Hazard of water erosion: Moderate

High water table: At a depth of 3.0 to 5.0 feet from

January through April

Included with this unit in mapping are a few areas of Nankin and Fuquay soils. Nankin soils have less than 5 percent plinthite, by volume, in the subsoil; have common or many ironstone concretions in and on the surface layer and in the upper part of the subsoil; have a clayey subsoil; and are on the slightly higher knobs. Fuquay soils have a sandy surface layer that is more than 20 inches thick. They are intermingled with the Dothan soil in some areas. Also included are small areas of soils that have major properties, use, and management similar to those of the Dothan soil. These soils have less than 5 percent plinthite, by volume, in the subsoil; have a thinner subsoil; or have few or common ironstone concretions on the surface and in the upper part of the subsoil.

Dissimilar inclusions make up about 15 percent of this map unit. Most of this map unit is used as cropland. The rest is mainly used as woodland or pasture. In cultivated areas of this Dothan soil, the major crops are peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans, tobacco, and small grain.

The hazard of water erosion, a water table that is perched above the plinthic zone during wet periods, the droughtiness of the thick, sandy surface layer, and a hazard of soil blowing are the main limitations affecting cropland. Cultivation may be delayed during wet periods, and irrigation may be needed during dry periods. Blowing sand may damage young plants. Planting winter cover crops, managing crop residue, conservation tillage, establishing windbreaks, and including close-growing grasses and legumes in the cropping system help to control runoff, water erosion, and soil blowing, maintain tilth, and conserve moisture. Conservation practices, such as no-till planting, stripcropping, crop rotations, contour farming, field borders, grassed waterways, and terraces and diversions, can also help to conserve water and control erosion.

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/D/DOTHAN.html

For more photos related to soils and landscapes visit:

www.flickr.com/photos/soilscience/sets/72157622983226139/

Redoximorphic features (RMFs) consist of color patterns in a soil that are caused by loss (depletion) or gain (concentration) of pigment compared to the matrix color, formed by oxidation/reduction of iron and/or manganese coupled with their removal, translocation, or accrual; or a soil matrix color controlled by the presence of iron. The composition and responsible formation processes for a soil color or color pattern must be known or inferred before it can be described as an RMF. Typically the zones with red color are areas of iron accumulation whereas the gray zones are areas where iron has been reduced or removed.

Iron that has been chemically reduced can be identified with the use of alpha,alpha-dipyridyl in neutral, 1-normal ammonium-acetate solution. A positive reaction to the alpha,alpha-dipyridyl yields the appearance of a strong red color on the freshly broken surface.

Refer to:

www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/40158035731/in/dateposted-...

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-...

For more information about Hydric Soils and their Field Indicators, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...

A soil profile and landscape of the Boulder Lake soil series in Idaho. The Boulder Lake series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in lacustrine deposits and alluvium derived mainly from volcanic rocks.

Landscape: Boulder Lake soils are on depressions on plateaus and on lake plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 360 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Xeric Epiaquerts

Soil moisture: Usually ponded for less than 45 consecutive days in most years, mainly in the spring; brief ponding occurs after intensive rainfall. Saturated to a depth of 76 to 150 cm in late winter and spring; Seasonal periods of aquic moisture regime when the soil moisture control section is saturated and reduced.

Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.

Mean summer soil temperature: 17 to 18 degrees C.

Effervescence: Noneffervescent or slightly effervescent but ranges to strongly effervescent in some pedons where few to common, very fine to medium filaments or masses of carbonate occur below depths of 50 cm.

Other features: Reversible trans-horizon cracks are normally open to the soil surface during summer and early fall, are up to 8 cm wide, and are 8 to 15 cm apart. They decrease in width with increasing depth. Cracks remain open for fewer than 180 consecutive days.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 40 to 60 percent.

USE AND VEGETATION: Boulder Lake soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly silver sagebrush, Nevada bluegrass, mat muhly, poverty weed, and primrose, with some Carex and Rumex species.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Boulder Lake soils are on depressions on plateaus and on lake plains. These soils formed in lacustrine deposits derived mainly from volcanic rocks such as tuff, basalt, and andesite. Gilgai microrelief is evident in most areas. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 1,400 to 2,200 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 230 to 510 mm, the mean annual temperature is 5 to 8 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 50 to 90 days.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Nevada, northeastern California, south-central Oregon, and southwestern Idaho. These soils are moderately extensive. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 23, while other acreage occurs in MLRAs 21 and 25.

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/B/BOULDER_LAKE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#boulder%20lake

Soil Survey of Sumter County, South Carolina

Major land resource area: Southern Coastal Plain

Landform: Marine terraces

Position on the landform: Summits

Elevation: 157 to 279 feet

Orangeburg and similar soils: Typically 91 percent, ranging from about 87 to 95

percent

Surface layer:

0 to 6 inches—dark brown loamy sand

Subsoil:

6 to 12 inches—red sandy clay loam

12 to 26 inches—red sandy clay loam

26 to 33 inches—red sandy clay loam

33 to 56 inches—red sandy clay loam

56 to 80 inches—red sandy clay loam

Minor Components

Troup and Lucy soils

Soil Properties and Qualities

Available water capacity: Moderate (about 8.1 inches)

Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately high (about 0.57 in/hr)

Drainage class: Well drained

Depth to seasonal water saturation: More than 6 feet

Flooding hazard: None

Ponding hazard: None

Shrink-swell potential: Low

Runoff class: Low

Parent material: Loamy fluviomarine deposits

Use and Management Considerations

Cropland

Suitability: Well suited to cotton lint and peanuts; moderately suited to corn, soybeans, and wheat

• Soil crusting decreases water infiltration and interferes with the emergence of seedlings.

Pasture

• This soil is well suited to pasture.

Woodland

Suitability: Well suited to loblolly pine

• Coarse textured soil layers increase the maintenance of haul roads and log landings.

• Coarse textured layers may slough, thus reducing the efficiency of mechanical planting equipment.

• The coarseness of the soil may reduce the traction of wheeled harvest equipment and log trucks.

Building sites

• This soil is well suited to building sites.

Septic tank absorption fields

• This soil is well suited to septic tank absorption fields.

Local roads and streets

• The low soil strength may cause structural damage to local roads and streets.

Interpretive Groups

Land capability class: 1

Hydric soil: No

Prime farmland: All areas are prime farmland

The Amor series consists of well drained, moderately permeable soils that are moderately deep to soft sandstone bedrock. They formed in material weathered from stratified soft sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. These soils are on uplands and have slopes of 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual temperature is 42 degrees F, and mean annual air precipitation is 15 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustolls

Depth to soft sandstone typically is 30 to 40 inches but ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to carbonates ranges from 10 to 40 inches. The 10- to 40-inch control section averages 15 to 40 percent fine sand and coarser. Stony phases are recognized.

USE AND VEGETATION: Commonly cropped to small grains, flax, corn, hay and grass in a crop summer fallow rotation. Native vegetation is mid and short prairie grasses such as green needlegrass, needleandthread, western wheatgrass and blue grama.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, and eastern Montana. The series is of large extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_dakota/N...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/AMOR.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#amor

Soil profile: An example of a Hayesville soil. The subsoil is red clay. Depth to bedrock is more than 150 centimeters. (Soil Survey of

Grayson County, Virginia; by Robert K. Conner, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Cabbage growing on Hayesville loam, 2 to 7 percent slopes, in a foothill area.

The Hayesville series consists of very deep, well drained soils on gently sloping to very steep ridges and side slopes of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. They most commonly formed in residuum weathered from igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks such as granite, granodiorite, mica gneiss and schist; but in some places formed from thickly-bedded metagraywacke and metasandstone. On steeper slopes the upper part of some pedons may have some colluvial influence. Mean annual air temperature is 55 degrees F., and average annual precipitation is about 56 inches near the type location. Slopes range from 2 to 60 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, mesic Typic Kanhapludults

Solum thickness is 30 to 60 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches and ranges to more than 10 feet. Content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 40 percent by volume in the A and E horizons and 0 to 15 percent in the B and C horizons. Rock fragments are commonly pebbles, cobbles, or stones, but may include channers or flagstones. Reaction is extremely acid to moderately acid unless limed. Limed soils are typically slightly acid to neutral in the upper part. Flakes of mica range from none to common in the A and B horizons above a depth of 40 inches, and from none to many in the B and C horizons below 40 inches.

USE AND VEGETATION: About one-half of the acres of this soil is in cultivation. Common trees in wooded areas are yellow- poplar, eastern white pine, northern red oak, pitch pine, shortleaf pine and Virginia pine. The understory includes flowering dogwood, rhododendron, mountain laurel and sourwood. Cleared areas are used for cultivated crops such as corn, small grain, pasture, hayland, burley tobacco, vegetable crops and Christmas trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain areas of North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The series is of large extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/virginia/VA077...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/H/HAYESVILLE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#hayesville

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Pinncamp series. (Soil Survey of Pinnacles National Monument, California; by Ken Oster, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: The Pinncamp soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. This soil is used for watershed, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is live oak forest.

The Pinncamp series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from igneous rocks. The Pinncamp soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 5 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).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Psammentic Haploxerolls

Depth to bedrock: over 60 inches (155 centimeters).

Mean annual soil temperature: 60 to 63 degrees F (16 to 17 degrees C).

Soil moisture control section: dry in all parts from about May 15 to November 15 (180 days), and moist in all parts from about January 15 to April 15 (90 days).

Soil reaction: moderately acid to slightly alkaline throughout the profile.

Particle size control section: Clay: ranges 4 to 10 percent; Coarse fragments: ranges 40 to 55 percent mostly gravel.

Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 86 to 100%

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is live oak forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: San Benito County, California in MLRA 14 Central California Coastal Valleys. These soils are of small extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA7...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PINNCAMP.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#pinncamp

Soil profile: The Westlake series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium primarily from loess. Permeability is moderately slow.

Landscape: Westlake soils are in flood plains and drainageways, and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. Westlake soils are used mostly for hay and pasture. The average annual precipitation is about 22 inches and the average annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Ultic Haploxerolls

Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 35 inches

Depth to sand, gravel, and cobble - greater than 40 inches

Days dry, soil moisture control section - 45 to 65

Average summer soil temperature - 59 to 62 degrees F

Average annual soil temperature - 45 to 47 degrees F

USE AND VEGETATION: Westlake soils are used mostly for hay and pasture. Some areas are used for cropland, mainly for wheat and barley. Native vegetation is mainly baltic rush, sedge, tufted hairgrass, and common camas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho. The series is of small 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/W/WESTLAKE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#westlake

The Troup series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in unconsolidated sandy and loamy marine sediments. Troup soils are on ridges and hillslopes. Slopes predominantly range from 0 to 15 percent but range to 45 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Grossarenic Kandiudults

USE AND VEGETATION:

Most areas of Troup soils are in forests of pine and mixed hardwoods. Cleared areas are used for pastureland and for growing peanuts, watermelons, and vegetables.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:

Major Land Resource Area (MLRA's): The series occurs primarily in the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A). It also occurs to a lesser extent in the Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills (MLRA 137), North Central Florida Ridge (MLRA 138), Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 152A), and the Atlantic Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 153A).

Extent: large extent

For a detailed description, please visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TROUP.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#troup

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Tornillo loam in an area of Tornillo loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, occasionally flooded. Tornillo soils are stratified from depositional events. They are very deep soils. (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)

Landscape: An area of Tornillo loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, occasionally flooded. Tornillo soils are on alluvial flats and very susceptible to water erosion. Tornillo soils are in the Loamy ecological site, Hot Desert Shrub vegetative zone of MLRA 42—Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains. The background is the Rosillos Mountains, located in the northern area of Big Bend National Park.

The Tornillo series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in calcareous loamy alluvial materials. These nearly level to very gently sloping soils are on broad valley floors and flood plain steps. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 70 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Ustifluventic Haplocambids

Soil moisture: Ustic aridic moisture regime. Intermittently moist in the soil moisture control section during July through September.

Mean annual soil temperature: 72 to 78 degrees F.

Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline

Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam, silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam

Particle-size control section (weighted average):

Clay content: 18 to 35 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent igneous and sedimentary gravel

Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 10 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for livestock grazing. Present vegetation is creosotebush, mesquite, fluffgrass, slim tridens, tobosa, and threeawn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Texas in Major Land Resource Area 42. The series is of minor extent.

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/T/TORNILLO.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#tornillo

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Silstid series. (Soil Survey of Robertson County, Texas; by Harold W. Hyde, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Pasture grasses on an area of Silstid loamy fine sand, 1 to 5 percent slopes. The Silstid soils are in the Sandy Upland pasture management group. (Soil Survey of Lee County, Texas; by Maurice R. Jurena, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Silstid series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in residuum weathered from beds of sandy or loamy materials and interbedded sandstones. These nearly level to sloping soils are on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Arenic Paleustalfs

Soil Moisture: An ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 days but less than 150 cumulative days in normal years.

Soil Depth: Very Deep, 152 to more than 203 cm (60 to more than 80 in).

Depth to abrupt textural change: 56 to 93 cm (22 to 36.6 in)

Depth to albic materials: 10 to 66 cm (4 to 26 in)

Depth to albic horizon: 10 to 66 cm (4 to 26 in)

Depth to argillic horizon: 56 to 93 cm (22 to 36.6 in)

Thickness of the Ochric epipedon: 10 to 66 cm (4 to 26 in)

Thickness of the A and E horizons: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in).

Particle-size control section (weighted average)

Clay content: 35 to 50 percent in control section

Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: Largely in rangeland. Small areas are cropped to peanuts or grain sorghum, or they are used as improved pasture. Native vegetation is blackjack oak, post oak, and yaupon with an understory of mid and tall grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and north central Texas; Land Resource Region J - Southwestern Prairies Cotton and Forage Region; MLRA 87A - Texas Claypan Areas, Southern Part. The series is of large extent. Silstid soils were formerly included in the Stidham series.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX395/0/...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SILSTID.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#silstid

Soil profile: The Aimeliik series consists of forest soils characterized by relatively fertile topsoil over infertile subsoil. Reddish subsoil (at a depth of about 15 to 35 centimeters in this profile) overlies subsoil that still retains some characteristics of the parent material. The Aimeliik series is one of the most extensive series in Palau. This profile is in an area of map unit 603, Aimeliik silt loam, 30 to 50 percent slopes, in Melekeok State, Babeldaob Island. (Soil Survey of the Islands of Palau, Republic of Palau; by Jason L. Nemecek and Robert T. Gavenda, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Ancient manmade terraces in areas of Palau soils under grass on the western coast of Babeldaob Island. Fire-resistant pandanus trees remain on the grassland. The forested area consists primarily of Aimeliik soils.

The Aimeliik series consists of; very deep, well drained, soils that is shallow to an abrupt textural change. These soils formed in saprolite derived from basalt, andesite, dacite, volcanic breccias, tuff, or bedded tuff. Aimeliik soils are on all hillslope positions of hills on volcanic islands. Slope is 2 to 75 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 3685 millimeters (145 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 27 C (81 F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, halloysitic, isohyperthermic Typic Kandiperox

Control section: 25 to 100 centimeters (10 to 39 inches)

Thickness of the solum: 50 to 150 centimeters (20 to 59 inches)

Depth to bottom of diagnostic features:

Ochric epipedon 7 to 29 centimeters (3 to 11 inches)

Fibric soil materials 2 to 8 centimeters (1 to 3 inches)

Depth to diagnostic features:

Kandic horizon: 8 to 40 centimeters (3 to 16 inches)

Abrupt textural change: 8 to 40 centimeters (3 to 16 inches)

Thickness of diagnostic features:

Ochric epipedon: 8 to 40 centimeters (3 to 16 inches)

Kandic horizon: 26 to 125 centimeters (10 to 49 inches)

Fibric soil materials: 1 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches)

Linear extensibility: 4 to 11 percent, weighted average RV is 6 percent

Surface Fragments: Rock fragments are vesicular petroferric fragments, tuff, ironstone and gibbsite concretions; 0 to 15 percent total rock fragments; 0 to 15 percent gravel; 0 to 15 percent cobbles

Saturated hydraulic conductivity: High in the subsoil and moderately high in the underlying material.

These soils are in mixed-upland forests plant communities and are used for native vegetation, watershed, and slash and burn or agroforestry cultivation of subsistence crops. A few areas are used for urban development. Agroforestry ground crops include; beans, cassava, kang kong, melon, peppers, noni, okra, pineapple, piper betle, pumpkin, taro squash, sugar cane, taro, and yams. Agroforestry tree crops include; avocados, bananas, betel nut, breadfruit, football fruit, guava, Inocarpus fagifer, keam, lemons, mango, medicinal plants, mountain apple, ngel, star fruit, titimel, and tropical almond. Most areas are in native tropical rainforest or, to a lesser extent, patches of forest in perennial grassland that is burned by humans almost annually. Native vegetation includes; (canopy) Pinanga insignis, Cyathea sp, Alphitonia carolinensis, Pouteria obovata, Fagraea ksid, Callophyllum inophyllum var. wakamatsui, Rhus taitensis, (understory) Atuna corymbosa, Garcinia matudai, Pleome multiflora, Finschia chloraxantha, Manilkara udoid, Symplocos racemosa, Campnosperma brevipetiolata, Cerbera floribunda.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 193 Volcanic Islands of Western Micronesia, Republic of Palau. These soils of these series are of large extent; about 50,000 acres in size. They are mapped on the islands of island of Babeldaob and to a lesser extent on Koror and Arakabesan.

The A horizon does not become dry for longer than 4 consecutive days and 24 cumulative days per year during the dry season (February, March, and April). Drying only occurs under bare soil conditions. The soil does not meet the definition of an oxic horizon because the clay content increases by more than 8 percent within 15 centimeters (6 inches.) The Ngardok forested series was correlated with Aimeliik, bedded tuff. The Aimeliik, bedded tuff substratum has a platy structure and seems to be more erosive when vegetation is removed. In addition, when Aimeliik occurs near Ollei and Nekken series the rock fragments are likely to be hard basalt and indurated tuff.

Particle-size distribution measurements are usually not reliable for tropical soils; therefore, apparent field textures and the corresponding mid-point values of texture classes were used rather than laboratory analysis for particle sizes. Particle size distribution is difficult to determine in tropical soils because of the tendency to form water-stable aggregates. The poor soil dispersion in laboratory analyses reflects the water-stable aggregates of clay in silt and sand-sized "particles." Therefore, the soils may have large clay content but physically they behave as coarser textures.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/pacific_basin/...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/AIMELIIK.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#aimeliik

A representative soil profile of the Knuckle soil series. (Soil Survey of Pinnacles National Monument, California; by Ken Oster, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Knuckle series consists of shallow to bedrock, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in rhyolite. The Knuckle soils are on hills. Slopes range from 35 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).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, thermic Lithic Xerorthents

Depth to bedrock: 6 to 20 inches (16 to 50 centimeters).

Mean annual soil temperature: 60 to 63 degrees F (16 to 17 degrees C).

Soil moisture control section: dry in all parts from about May 15 to November 15 (180 days), and moist in all parts from about January 15 to April 15 (90 days).

Particle size control section: 2 to 15 percent clay, 35 to 60 percent rock fragments from rhyolite.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is sparse chamise chaparral.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: San Benito County, California in MLRA 15 -- Central California Coast Range. These soils are of small extent. San Benito County, California. Source of name from Knuckle Ridge. This series was established based on limited acreage observed within the National Park Service Pinnacles National Monument boundary.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA7...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/K/KNUCKLE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#knuckle

An important traditional branch of the economy In Liwa is date farming. There is a widespread use of drip irrigation and greenhouses. Besides cultivating these in the date gardens, a number of vegetable and fodder crops have also been raised successfully in sheltered localities. The limit of salinity without too adversely affecting the yield of these crops appears to be total dissolved salts up to 6000 ppm. However, as the sandy desert soils are deficient in organic matter and mineral nutrients they are to be treated with heavy doses of organic manure and chemical fertilizers for their proper development and successful cultivation.

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 amirate 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 amirates 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.

Lack of arable land, intense heat, periodic locust swarms, and limited water supplies are the main obstacles to agriculture. The drive to increase the area under cultivation has resulted in the rapid depletion of underground aquifers, resulting in precipitous drops in water tables and serious increases in soil and water salinity in some areas.

For more information about Liwa Oasis, visit:

gw-mena.iwmi.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/Rep.1...

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Bighawk series. (Soil Survey of Wupatki National Monument, Arizona; by James M. Harrigan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: An area of Bighawk gravelly sandy loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes.

The Bighawk series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium from pyroclastics and cinders. Bighawk soils are on alluvial fans, and plateaus. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 12 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 52 degrees F. (11.1 degress C.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, mesic Vitrandic Haplocambids

Soil moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July - September and December - February. Driest during May and June. Ustic Aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil Temperature: 52 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit (11.1 to 13.3 degrees Celsius)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)

Clay content: 12 to 18 percent

Rock Fragments: 35 to 55 percent cinders

Volcanic Glass: 30 to 40 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes galleta, oneseed Juniper, Russian thistle, black grama, needle and thread, and alkali sacaton.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Arizona. Bighawk soils are of moderate extent. This soil is named after the valley at the type location. MLRA 35 Land Resource Unit 35.1.

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/B/BIGHAWK.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#bighawk

Soil profile: Driscoll series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils. (Photo taken during dry conditions.)

Landscape: Driscoll soils formed on structural benches above the Clearwater River drainageway. (Soil Survey of Clearwater Area, Idaho; by Glenn Hoffman, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Driscoll soils are mostly on ridges and hills on plateaus and benches in canyons. They formed in material weathered from loess of two ages and may have basalt residuum in the lower subsoil. Slope ranges from 0 to 40 percent. The mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is about 23 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Palexerolls

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for cropland, some areas are used for timber production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Potential natural vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine, with an understory of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, pine reedgrass, lupine, common snowberry, sticky geranium, rose, cinquefoil, and white spirea.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Washington and northern Idaho, MLRA 9. This soil is moderately extensive.

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/D/DRISCOLL.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#driscoll

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Scobey series near Glasgow MT; the State Soil of Montana.

Landscape: Productive rangelands provide for livestock grazing and dry land farming produces high-quality wheat. (Photo provided by Janice Hendrickson)

In 1928, the Scobey series was established in the Milk River Area, located in the northern plains of Montana. The series was named for the northeastern Montana town of Scobey and used to represent dark grayish-brown farming soils. The Scobey soil was designated

the official Montana state soil in 2015.

The Scobey series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in till. These soils are on till plains, hills, and moraines. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 12 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Aridic Argiustolls

Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.

Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; dry in all parts between four-tenths and five-tenths of the cumulative days per year when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F or higher.

Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 16 inches.

Depth to Bk horizon - 10 to 18 inches.

Depth to Bky or By horizon - 30 to 55 inches.

Btk, By, or BC horizons are allowed.

Phases- stony, shaley substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Scobey soils are used mainly for dryland crops. Some areas are used as rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, and needleandthread.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Scobey soils are extensive in the till plains of northern Montana.

For additional information about this state soil, visit:

www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/mt-state-soi...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SCOBEY.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#scobey

Farmers bring their loose grass to a central location where it is bailed and prepared for shipping and sale. I observed two areas where this occurred. The other was along the Al Ain truck road.

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.

For more soil related images, visit:

www.flickr.com/photos/soilscience/sets/72157622983226139/

A representative soil profile of the Arches series. (Soil Survey of Arches National Park, Utah; by Catherine E. Scott, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Landscape of Arches-Rock outcrop complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes. Rock outcrop is characterized by gently sloping expanses of sandstone dissected by short, steep escarpments at the edges of the rock strata. Vertical relief varies from a few feet to 10 or more feet. Portions of this rock outcrop include potholes in which water may pond for brief periods after rain. Slopes generally range from 8 to 45 percent slopes.

The Arches series consists of very shallow and shallow, well to excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in sandy eolian deposits and residuum derived from sandstone. These soils are on plateaus, benches, sand sheets on structural benches, cuestas, mesas, and hills with slopes of 2 to 60 percent. Average annual precipitation is 11 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Lithic Torripsamments

Soil moisture: The soil is dry during May and June. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime

Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 59 degrees F.

Depth to bedrock: 4 to 20 inches

Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent

Control section texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand. The sands are dominantly fine or very fine with a small percentage of medium or coarse sand

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Native vegetation is Indian ricegrass, galleta, blackbrush, Mormon-tea and Utah juniper.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwest New Mexico and western Colorado. The soils of this series are extensive. MLRAs are 35 and 36. This series is not to be correlated outside MLRA 35 and 36. Named after Arches National Park.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/utah/archesUT2...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ARCHES.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#arches

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Sogn series. The shallow, clayey Sogn soils formed directly over limestone.

Landscape: In Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Labette and Sogn soils dominate the level uplands. (Soil Survey of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas; United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service)

The Sogn series consists of shallow and very shallow, somewhat excessively drained, soils that formed in residuum weathered from limestone. Sogn soils are on hillslopes on uplands in Bluestem Hills, MLRA 76. Slopes range from 0 to 45 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 840 millimeters (33 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C (55 degrees F) at the type location.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haplustolls

Soil moisture regime: Ustic bordering on Udic

Soil temperature regime: mesic

Mollic epipedon thickness: 10 to 49 centimeters (4 to 20 inches)

Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 49 centimeters (4 to 20 inches)

Particle-size control section (weighted average):

Clay content: 35 to 44 percent

Sand content: 2 to 14 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 34 percent limestone gravels and channers

Some pedons do not contain free carbonates above the bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Almost all areas are used for rangeland. Native vegetation is a tall-and mid-grass prairie. Sideoats grama, big bluestem, and little bluestem are dominant.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mostly in eastern Kansas, and widely spaced small areas are in western Missouri, eastern Iowa and Nebraska, northwestern Illinois, southeastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and southwestern Wisconsin..The Sogn series is extensive.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/kansas/Tallgra...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SOGN.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#sogn

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Vaucluse series in an area of Vaucluse loamy sand, 10 to 15 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of Chesterfield County, South Carolina; by Ronald Morton, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Soil scientist John Kelley preparing soil profile for photographing, describing, and sampling. The budge in the subsoil is from a compact, dense, and brittle layer that when exposed, exhibits a very high excavation difficulty (excavation by pick with over-the-head swing is moderately to markedly difficult; Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, p.2-69)

A soil scientist is a person who is qualified to evaluate and interpret soils and soil-related data for the purpose of understanding soil resources as they contribute to not only agricultural production, but as they affect environmental quality and as they are managed for protection of human health and the environment.

A university degree should be in Soil Science, or closely related field (natural resources, environmental science, earth science, etc.) and include sufficient soils-related course work so the Soil Scientist has a measurable level of understanding of the soil environment, including soil morphology and soil forming factors, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil biology, and the dynamic interaction of these areas.

Depth Class: Very deep

Drainage Class (Agricultural): Well drained

Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very deep

Flooding Frequency and Duration: None

Ponding Frequency and Duration: None

Index Surface Runoff: High, very high

Permeability: Moderately slow, slow (Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high, moderately low

Shrink-swell Potential: Low

Landscape: Middle or upper coastal plain

Landform: Marine terraces, uplands

Geomorphic Component: Interfluves, side slopes

Hillslope Profile Position: Summits, shoulders, back slopes

Parent Material: Fluviomarine deposits, marine deposits

Slope: 2 to 25 percent, mostly 6 to 15 percent

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Fragic Kanhapludults

NOTE: Vaucluse soils have a Bt horizon more than 6 inches thick that is compact, dense, and brittle in 30 to 60 percent of the mass. The brittleness is thought to be due to masses of oxidized iron. This horizon commonly has weak or moderate, medium or coarse subangular blocky structure but in some pedons it appears to be massive. It contains fine roots but medium and coarse roots are not usually present in the brittle part. Since establishment, the series has been classified as: Typic Hapludults, Fragic Paleudults, Typic Fragiudults, Typic Kanhapludults, and (2005) Fragic Kanhapludults. Further study of the soil is needed to accurately determine the dominant diagnostic characteristics.

Thickness of the sandy surface and subsurface layers: 4 to 19 inches

Depth to top of the Argillic horizon: 4 to 19 inches

Depth to the base of the Argillic horizon: 40 to 75 inches

Depth to top of the Kandic horizon: 4 to 19 inches

Depth to fragic soil properties: 15 to 35 inches

Fragic soil properties content: 30 to 60 percent, by volume in the Btx horizon

Depth to densic materials: More than 40 inches

Depth to lithologic discontinuity (contrasting sand sizes or abrupt textural change): 40 inches or more

Soil reaction: Extremely acid to strongly acid throughout, unless limed

Depth to bedrock: Greater than 80 inches

Depth to seasonal high water table: Greater than 72 inches

Rock fragment content: 0 to 60 percent in the A and E horizons and 0 to 15 percent in the B and C horizons; mostly quartz or ironstone pebbles

Other features--0 to 10 percent, by volume, fine to coarse pockets or irregularly shaped masses of white or light gray kaolin clay

USE AND VEGETATION:

Major Uses: Forest, cropland

Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--corn, cotton, small grain, soybeans, or pasture. Where wooded--loblolly and longleaf pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:

Distribution: Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina

Extent: Large

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/south_carolina...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/V/VAUCLUSE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#vaucluse

Greasiness is the tactile response to a shear force by thumb and forefinger. It is a characteristic that is especially common to soils with significant amounts of platy minerals, generally mica. The property is due to the alignment of plates along the shear plane upon failure. It imparts the feel of a “greasy” residue to the skin.

If the specimen has a high content of mica, a sheen is often observed along the shear planes. The degree of greasiness is estimated by the relative ease with which the material shears. At failure, the specimen does not change suddenly to fluid. Greasiness is not defined by the amount of free water expressed but how a soil material responds to a manual test. It is a field observation assessment that helps to interpret soil behavior.

The Watauga series consists of very deep, well drained soils on gently sloping to very steep ridges and side slopes of the Southern Blue Ridge (MLRA 130B). Slope ranges from 2 to 50 percent. They formed in residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper part, and is weathered from high-grade metamorphic rocks that are high in mica content such as mica gneiss and mica schist. Mean annual air temperature is about 52 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 52 inches near the type location.

For more information about these soils, visit;

www.researchgate.net/publication/363254375_Report_of_the_...

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-...

Plinthite is an iron-rich, humus-poor mixture of clay with quartz and other minerals. Plinthite is a redoximorphic feature in highly weathered soil. The product of pedogenesis, it commonly occurs as reddish redox concretions that usually form platy, polygonal, or reticulate patterns in the soil.

As in this profile, plinthite changes irreversibly to an ironstone or to irregular soil aggregates on exposure to repeated wetting and drying, especially if it is exposed to heat from the sun.

The Houk series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on low terraces and bottomlands. They formed in mixed alluvium weathered from andesite, granite, rhyolite, and basalt. Permeability is slow. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Argiaquic Xeric Argialbolls

Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 45 degrees F

Depth to water table - 30 to 60 inches; April through September

Depth to mottles - 30 to 46 inches

Clay content in control section - 35 to 60 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for pasture, dry cropland, and some irrigated cropland. Crops are small grain and hay. Vegetation is silver sagebrush, foxtail barley, water tolerant grasses, common camas and willows.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern and south-central Idaho. The soils are moderately extensive.

For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97d01af9d4554b9097cb0a477e04

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/H/HOUK.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#houk

A representative soil profile of Aberdeen silt loam. This soil is dark to a depth of about 85 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Spink County, South Dakota; by James B. Millar, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Aberdeen series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in glacial lacustrine sediments on lake plains. Permeability is slow in the solum and moderate to slow in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 19 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Glossic Natrudolls

The depth to carbonates ranges from 16 to about 40 inches. Depth to accumulated salts is typically greater than 20 inches.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to small grains, sunflowers, and alfalfa. Native vegetation includes western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, little bluestem, big bluestem, sideoats grama, blue grama, porcupinegrass, needleandthread, sedges, and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern South Dakota and eastern North Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Sylco very channery loam. Sylco soils are moderately deep to unweathered, fractured, thinly bedded bedrock and have many rock fragments in the subsoil. They occur on low or intermediate mountains, dominantly in the northwestern, north-central, and eastern parts of the county. (Soil Survey of Cherokee County, North Carolina; by Brian Wood and Southern Blue Ridge Soil Survey Office, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: An area of soil slippage. Low-grade metasedimentary rock underlies soils such as Sylco and Cataska soils. This

bedrock is unstable when lateral support is removed during construction. Soil maps and onsite investigations can be used to effectively evaluate soil and bedrock characteristics which may require engineering complexities and additional expense for construction and maintenance.

The Sylco series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils on mountain ridge summits and side slopes in the Blue Ridge (MLRA 130). They formed in residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper part, and weathered from metasedimentary rocks such as phyllite, slate, and metsandstone. Slope ranges from 7 to 95 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Typic Dystrudepts

Depth to slate, metasandstone, or phyllite bedrock that is not fractured enough to contain some fine material ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Amount of thin, flat fragments of phyllite, metasandstone, or of slate ranges from about 10 to 50 percent in the A horizon, 15 to 45 percent in the B horizon, and from 40 to 70 percent in the C horizon. The average content of these fragments between 10 inches and bedrock ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Fragments are channers, flagstones, or stones. The amount of weatherable minerals, mainly chlorite, sericite, and hydrobiotite, exceeds 30 percent in the silt and sand fractions. The soil is extremely acid to strongly acid. Transition horizons have colors and textures similar to adjacent horizons.

USE AND VEGETATION: Practically all of the acreage is in forest consisting chiefly of chestnut oak, scarlet oak, white oak, Virginia pine, pitch pine, maple, and white pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Blue Ridge (MLRA 130) of Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. The series is of large extent. An estimated 15,000 acres are in Monroe County, Tennessee. In past mapping in Tennessee, Sylco soils have been included in broad mapping units of Ramsey and Ranger soils.

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/S/SYLCO.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#sylco

In prismatic structure, the individual units are bounded by flat to rounded vertical faces. Units are distinctly longer vertically, and the faces are typically casts or molds of adjoining units. Vertices are angular or subrounded; the tops of the prisms are somewhat indistinct and normally flat. Prismatic structures are characteristic of the B horizons or subsoils. The vertical cracks result from freezing and thawing and wetting and drying as well as the downward movement of water and roots.

There are five major classes of macrostructure seen in soils: platy, prismatic, columnar, granular, and blocky. There are also structureless conditions. Some soils have simple structure, each unit being an entity without component smaller units. Others have compound structure, in which large units are composed of smaller units separated by persistent planes of weakness.

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

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Pantera gravelly coarse sandy loam in an area of Melado and Pantera soils, 1 to 5 percent slopes. Pantera soils have very high amounts of rock fragments in the profile. (Soil Survey of Presidio County, Texas; by Ramiro Molina, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Pantera soils are mapped with Melado soils and occur on floodplains on alluvial flats. This area also shows in the background, small flat-topped erosion remnants of the Geefour soils. Chinati Mountain is in the far background.

The Pantera series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils formed in loamy gravelly alluvial materials. These soils are on nearly level to moderately sloping wide arroyos and drainageways. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 68 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, hyperthermic Ustic Torrifluvents

Soil moisture: intermittently moist in the soil moisture control section during July-September. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime.

Solum thickness: 6 to 15 inches over 40 to 80 inches or more of unconsolidated stratified, loamy, gravelly, or cobbly alluvial materials. The solum and regolith consists of thin to thick bedded layers of gravelly alluvium separated by bedding planes and which vary in content and size of coarse fragments.

Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent; 25 to 65 percent gravel; 10 to 40 percent cobbles; 0 to 20 percent stones

Texture in the control section: loamy sand, sand, sandy loam

Clay content: 2 to 15 percent

In some pedons the coarse fragments in the A and C1 horizons have thin patchy coatings of calcium carbonate, with the carbonate content apparently uniform in these horizons. Some pedons are underlain at 40 to 60 inches or more by various kinds of bedrock, clay, shale, lava, ash, or tuff.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Has low carrying capacity. Vegetation is mostly a sparse cover of creosotebush, fluffgrass, sixweeks grama, lechugilla, and ocotillo.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Texas. MLRA 42. The series is of moderate extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/presidio...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PANTERA.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#pantera

Profile of Lucy soil in an area of Lucy sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes (Soil Survey of Washington County, Florida by Milton Martinez, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Map Unit Composition

Major components

Lucy and similar soils: 70 percent

Contrasting inclusions

Blanton soils: 10 percent

Bonifay soils: 10 percent

Fuquay soils: 10 percent

Component Description

Geomorphic setting: Hills on marine terraces on coastal plains

Geomorphic component: Side slopes

Position on the landform: Shoulders

Slope: 0 to 5 percent

Texture of the surface layer: Sand

Depth to restrictive feature: Very deep (more than 60 inches)

Drainage class: Well drained

Parent material: Sandy and loamy marine deposits

Flooding: None

Ponding: None

Available water capacity to a depth of 60 inches: Low

Content of organic matter in the upper 10 inches: 0.8 percent

Typical profile:

Surface layer—dark yellowish brown sand

Subsurface layer—brownish yellow loamy sand

Subsoil—strong brown sandy loam

Subsoil—red sandy clay loam

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/florida/washin...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LUCY.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#lucy

Bison at Antelope Flats in an area of Tineman gravelly loam.

The Tineman series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in gravelly alluvium and glacial till. Tineman soils are on nearly level to steep alluvial fans, stream terraces, mountains and moraines. The mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 35 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryolls

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Teton County, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park Area, 1975.

For more information about the Tineman series, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TINEMAN.html

Soil Survey of Teton County, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park Area:

archive.org/details/tetonWYparkarea1982/mode/1up

The American bison, Bison bison also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds. They became nearly extinct by a combination of commercial hunting and slaughter in the 19th century and introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle, and have made a recent resurgence largely restricted to a few national parks and reserves. Their historical range roughly comprised a triangle between the Great Bear Lake in Canada's far northwest, south to the Mexican states of Durango and Nuevo León, and east to the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States (nearly to the Atlantic tidewater in some areas) from New York to Georgia and per some sources down to Florida. Bison were seen in North Carolina near Buffalo Ford on the Catawba River as late as 1750.

The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is mostly on the Wyoming side of that state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the east slope of the range is in Grand Teton National Park. Between six and nine million years ago, stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust caused movement along the Teton fault. The west block along the fault line rose to form the Teton Range, creating the youngest range of the Rocky Mountains.

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Whipple series in an area of Stormjade-Whipple complex, 8 to 50 percent slopes. (Interim Report for the Soil Survey of Chemehuevi Wash Off-Highway Vehicle Area, California; by Leon Lato, Carrie-Ann Houdeshell, and Heath McAllister, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Whipple series consists of very shallow and shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium from granite. Whipple soils are on backslopes of hills. Slopes range from 8 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 100 millimeters (4 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 24 degrees C (75 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Lithic Haplargids

Soil moisture control section: usually dry throughout, rarely moist in some part during summer or winter. The soils have a typic-aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 22 to 26.7 degrees C (72 to 80 degrees ).

Depth to argillic horizon: 2 to 4 centimeters.

Depth to bedrock: 13 to 36 centimeters.

Control section - Clay content: averages 12 to 18 percent.

USE AND VEGETATION: Whipple soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly burrobush, brittlebush and creosote bush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Colorado Desert of southeastern California, U.S.A.; MLRA 31. These soils are of small extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA6...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WHIPPLE.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#whipple

An Arenic Paleaquult in North Carolina.

Arenic Paleaquults.—These soils have a sandy layer, starting at the mineral soil surface, that is between 50 and 100 cm thick and are permitted to have brownish colors in the matrix below the A or Ap horizon, but they are otherwise like Typic Paleaquults in defined properties.

Most Arenic Paleaquults developed in somewhat sandier materials and have less clay in the argillic horizon than the soils in the Typic subgroup. The natural vegetation consisted of forest plants. The Arenic Paleaquults in the United States are mainly on the coastal plains in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. They are moderately extensive. Most of these soils are used as forest, but some have been cleared and are used as cropland or pasture.

Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Whitetop series. (Soil Survey of Bear Lake County Area, Idaho; by Francis R. Kukachka, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Landscape: Weakly cemented volcanic ash in detailed map unit 40, Burchert-Whitetop complex, 10 to 45 percent slopes

The Whitetop series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in residuum from weakly consolidated ash. These soils are on shoulders, summits, and upper backslopes of hills. Permeability is moderately rapid. Slopes range from 8 to 45 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 16 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, frigid, shallow Vitrandic Haploxerolls

Soil moisture control section usually moist, dry in all parts for 45 consecutive days or more in the four months following the summer solstice. Xeric moisture regime.

Thickness of mollic epipedon 14 to 20 inches

Depth to paralithic contact 10 to 20 inches

Average annual soil temperature 41 to 44 degrees F. Frigid soil temperature regime.

Particle-size control section

Clay content 8 to 12 percent

Pararock fragments 0 to 20 percent

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat and rangeland. The dominant native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, serviceberry, mountain snowberry, buckwheat, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sanberg bluegrass, and prairie junegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. The series is not extensive. MLRA 43B.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/idaho/bearlake...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WHITETOP.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#whitetop

The Ashe series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils on gently sloping to very steep ridges and side slopes of the Blue Ridge (MLRA 130). They formed in residuum that is affected by soil creep in the upper part, and weathered from felsic or mafic igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks such as granite, hornblende gneiss, granodiorite, biotite gneiss, and high-grade metagraywacke.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Dystrudepts

Solum thickness ranges from 14 to 40 inches. Depth to lithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 35 percent by volume throughout. Reaction is extremely acid to moderately acid, unless limed. Content of flakes of mica is few or common throughout.

USE AND VEGETATION: Common trees are black locust, chestnut oak, scarlet oak, eastern white pine, northern red oak, Virginia pine, and pitch pine. The understory species includes mountain laurel, rhododendron, and sourwood. Some areas are in pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Blue Ridge (MLRA 130) of North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The series is extensive.

For a detailed description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ASHE.html

For geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#ashe

Typical profile of a Latahco soil. The mollic epipedon extends from the surface of the mineral soil material to a depth of about 30 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Clearwater Area, Idaho; by Glenn Hoffman, Natural Resources Conservation Service)

The Latahco series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium from the surrounding loessal uplands. Latahco soils are on low terraces, flood plains and drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Argiaquic Xeric Argialbolls

Mean annual soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.

Soil moisture control section - usually moist but are dry for 45 to 60 days in late summer and fall.

Mollic epipedon thickness - 11 to 22 inches

Depth to the argillic horizon - 17 to 35 inches

Depth to aquic features with chroma of 2 or less with redox concentrations is 17 to 27 inches

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for cropland. Crops are wheat, barley, hay, pasture, and grass seed. Native vegetation includes perennial forbs and grasses, black hawthorn, common chokecherry, and ponderosa pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Idaho, MLRA 9. The series is of moderate extent.

For additional information about the survey area, visit:

www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/idaho/clearwat...

For a detailed soil description, visit:

soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LATAHCO.html

For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:

casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#latahco

In the fall of 2007, an effort was initiated by the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTHCS) to photograph hydric soil features for the republication of the Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States. This publication is a joint project between the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and the US-Army Corps of Engineers. It is a guide specifically designed to aid in the identification and delineation of hydric soils and wetlands.

The guide was developed by soil scientists of NRCS in cooperation with the USA-COE, the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and many regional, state, and local agencies. The hydric soil indicators listed in the publication are those approved by the NTCHS for use in identifying, delineating, and verifying hydric soils in the field.

One way to ensure the guide is being used to its greatest potential is to have accurate and detailed photographs of the many and varied types of soil features associated with hydric soil conditions. Many of the indicators are strongly expressed and readily observable; however, others are more subtle and require close observation. The new images will help users of the guide to have a better understanding of both typical and atypical features or conditions reflected by differences in soil color.

John Kelley, regional soil scientist, USDA-NRCS was selected to photograph and describe hydric soil profiles and individual soil features. With the support of the NTCHS and the sponsoring agencies, John travelled to several locations in the southeastern US, upper Midwest, and Alaska to photograph the commonplace as well as unique indicators. Many individuals contributed significantly to the process. Site leaders and participants in the photo project included:

John Gagnon, Resource Soil Scientist, Edenton, NC

Greg Hammer, Resource Soil Scientist, Smithfield, VA

Charlie Ogg, MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader, Bishopville, SC

Caleb Gulley, Soil Scientist, Bishopville, SC

Jackie Reed, Soil Scientist, Bishopville, SC

Alan Walters, Resource Soil Scientist, Salisbury, NC

Wade Hurt, Soil Scientist (ret.), Gainesville, FL

Joe Moore, MLRA Team Leader/State Soil Scientist, Palmer, AK

Joe White, COE, Anchorage, AK

Mike Holley, COE, Anchorage, AK,

Dave D’Amore, USFS, Juneau, AK

Nick Bonzey, USFS, Juneau, AK

Steve Sieler, State Soil Liaison, Bismarck, ND

Fred Aziz, Area Resource Soil Scientist, Jamestown, ND

Alan Gulsvig, Area Resource Soil Scientist, Devils Lake, ND

Kyle Thomson, Soil Scientist, Devils Lake, ND

For more information about Hydric Soils and their Field Indicators, visit Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the U.S.