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The Flybow series consists of very shallow, well drained soils with moderate permeability that formed in material weathered from basalt and greenstone. Flybow soils have slopes that range from 4 to 100 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 19 inches and the average annual temperature is about 48 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Lithic Xerorthents
Depth to bedrock - 4 to 10 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 54 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 65 to 70 degrees F.
Moisture control section - dry 45 to 90 days in summer
Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
clay content - 8 to 25 percent
rock fragment content - 35 to 75 percent with less than 45 percent stones
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, cutleaf balsamroot, phlox, biscuitroot, wild onion, penstemon, and eriogonum.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho and northeastern Oregon. MLRA 10 and 9. The Flybow soils are moderately extensive.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FLYBOW.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#flybow
For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:
A representative soil profile of the Ardmoelode series in an area of unimproved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in fine loamy drift with siliceous stones.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=09...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Humic-stagnic Brown Podzolics (soils affected by Fe/Al chemistry increase). These soils have humose topsoil and display stagnic properties as a result of the presence of a slowly
permeable sub-surface horizon.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
Soil profile: The Cotaco series consists of very deep, moderately well or somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils formed in loamy sediments of acid sandstone, siltstone, and shale origin. These soils are on foot slopes, colluvial fans, and low stream terraces.
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/sde/?series=cotaco#osd
Landscape: Pasture in an area of Allegheny-Cotaco complex, occasionally flooded, is in the foreground. Pasture in an area of Shelocta silt loam, 5 to 12 percent slopes, is the middle ground and to the right. An area of Gilpin-Bouldin-Petros complex, 25 to 75 percent slopes, very stony, is in the background on the mountainsides. (Soil Survey of Scott County Area, Tennessee; by Harry C. Davis and Jennifer R. Yaeger, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
archive.org/details/Scott_TN_2006
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Hapludults
The solum thickness ranges from 30 to 60 inches, and depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Fragments of gravel-sized sandstone, shale, or siltstone range from 0 to 35 percent in the solum, and from 0 to 50 percent in the C horizon. Unless limed, the reaction ranges from strongly acid to extremely acid.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well or somewhat poorly drained. Permeability class is moderate. Runoff class is high or very high in soils with shallow seasonal free water, and negligible to medium where seasonal free water is deeper. Seepage areas are common.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely used for crops, principally corn, burley, tobacco, small grains, truck, fruit, sorghum, and hay or pasture. Native forest has oak, hickory, elm, beech, sourwood, blackgum, and yellow-poplar as the dominant species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Primarily the Cumberland and Allegheny Plateaus in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the Northern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys in Virginia. Extent is moderate.
Soil profile: A soil profile of the shallow Rockly soils. (Soil Survey of Spokane County, Washington; by Scott H. Bare, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Typical area of Alecanyon-Rockly complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes. The Rockly soil is in foreground under rangeland ecological site R009XY301WA. Stiff sagebrush (Artemisia rigida) is the dominant shrub on the Rockly soil. The Alecanyon soil is between convex areas of Rockly soils and supports rangeland ecological site R009XY202WA.
Landscape--Mountains, hills, plateaus, canyonlands
Landform--mountain slopes, hillslopes, ridges, structural benches, canyons
Slope--0 to 120 percent
Parent material--residuum and colluvium derived from basalt with an influence of loess and volcanic ash
Mean annual precipitation--about 460 mm
Mean annual air temperature--about 9 degrees C
Depth class--shallow, very shallow
Drainage class--well drained
Soil moisture regime--xeric
Soil temperature regime--mesic
Soil moisture subclass--typic
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haploxerolls
Soil moisture--usually moist, but dry 60 to 80 consecutive days in all parts between depths of 10 and 30 cm or to a lithic contact
Mean annual soil temperature at lithic contact--8 to 12 degrees C
Depth to bedrock--10 to 30 cm
Thickness of mollic epipedon--10 to 30 cm
Reaction--6.1 to 7.3
Hue--10YR to 5YR
Particle-size control section--loam, silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam; about 10 to 30 percent clay; 35 to 75 percent rock fragments consisting of gravel, cobbles, or stones
Percentage of surface covered with stones or cobbles--0 to 15 percent
Faint clay films--lining pores in thin layer above bedrock in some pedons
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use--livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, water supply
Native vegetation--mainly stiff sagebrush, lomatium, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Sandberg bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Oregon, eastern and central Washington, and west-central Idaho; MLRAs 8, 9, 10, and 43C; large extent
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/washington/spo...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/R/ROCKLY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The central concept of Entisols is that of soils that have little or no evidence of the development of pedogenic horizons. Most Entisols have no diagnostic horizons other than an ochric epipedon. Very few have an anthropic epipedon. A few that have a sandy or sandy-skeletal particle-size class have a horizon that would be a cambic horizon were it not for the particle-size class exclusion. Very few Entisols have an albic horizon. In coastal marshes some Entisols that have sulfidic materials within 50 cm of the mineral soil surface have a histic epipedon.
On many landscapes the soil material is not in place long enough for pedogenic processes to form distinctive horizons. Some of these soils are on steep, actively eroding slopes, and others are on flood plains or glacial outwash plains that receive new deposits of alluvium at frequent intervals. Some Entisols are old enough to have formed diagnostic horizons, but they consist mostly of quartz or other minerals that are resistant to the weathering needed to form diagnostic horizons. Buried diagnostic horizons are permitted in Entisols if they meet the requirements for buried soil defined in chapter 1. (Soil Taxonomy)
Entisols may have any mineral parent material, vegetation, age, or moisture regime and any temperature regime, but they do not have permafrost. The only features common to all soils of the order are the virtual absence of diagnostic horizons and the mineral nature of the soils.
SOIL TAXONOMY
For more information about the U.S. Soil Classification System and to view or download "Soil Taxonomy, 2nd Edition, 1999." click HERE.
To download or order a hard copy of the latest version of "Soil Taxonomy, 2nd Edition, 1999", click HERE.
KEYS TO SOIL TAXONOMY
To view, print, or save a pdf copy of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th Edition, 2022, visit Keys to Soil Taxonomy
To download or order a hard copy of the latest version of Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th Edition, 2022, click HERE.
Subsoil from cerrado region Brazil. Plinthite (Gr. plinthos, brick) is an iron-rich, humus-poor mixture of clay with quartz and other highly weathered minerals. It commonly occurs as reddish redox concentrations in a layer that has a polygonal (irregular), platy (lenticular), or reticulate (blocky) pattern. Plinthite irreversibly hardens upon exposure to repeated wetting and drying, especially if exposed to heat from the sun.
Other morphologically similar iron-rich materials that do not progressively harden upon repeated wetting and drying are not considered plinthite. The horizon in which plinthite occurs commonly has 2.5 percent (by mass) or more citrate dithionite extractable iron in the fine-earth fraction and a ratio between acid oxalate extractable Fe and citrate-dithionite extractable Fe of less than 0.10.
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 a plinthic horizon, visit;
www.researchgate.net/publication/242649722_Rationale_for_...
or;
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00167061220043...
G.W. Hurt, Soil Scientist, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
This soil meets the requirements of Indicator A5 (Stratified Layers) in sandy material.
A Typic Hapludalf from south-west Poland--lower Silesia region and the Sudetes Mountains formed in loess. (Photo provided by Cezary Kabala, Institute of Soil Science, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.)
Hapludalfs are the Udalfs that do not have a glossic, kandic, or natric horizon or a fragipan within 100 cm of the mineral soil surface. They do not have very dark red colors throughout the argillic horizon. The base of the argillic horizon is normally less than 150 cm below the soil surface and, in many areas, is less than 100 cm below the surface. In an undisturbed soil, there generally is a thin, very dark brown A horizon, 5 to 10 cm thick, over a lighter colored brownish eluvial horizon. The eluvial horizon grades into a finer textured argillic horizon, generally at a depth of about 30 to 45 cm in loamy materials. Because the Hapludalfs have been cultivated extensively, many of those on slopes have lost their eluvial horizons. These soils formed principally in late-Pleistocene deposits or on a surface of comparable age. They are extensive soils in the Northeastern States, excluding New England, and in Europe, excluding most of Scandinavia. The vegetation on Hapludalfs in the United States was a deciduous broadleaf forest, but the soils are now mostly farmed. Temperature regimes are mesic or thermic.
These soils are classified as Albic Lamellic Luvisols (Ochric, Siltic, Bathycalcic) by the World Reference Base (WRB).
For more information about this soil, visit:
karnet.up.wroc.pl/~kabala/Plowe.html
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
For additional information about the US Soil Taxonomy soil classification system, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...
Typic Haplosalids, coarse-loamy, mixed, hyperthermic (Soil AD145) very deep, coarse-loamy soils with salinity throughout the profile. They occur mostly in eastern parts of the Emirate. They are typically somewhat poorly drained or moderately well drained and have moderately rapid or rapid permeability.
Commonly these soils remain as barren land as high salinity levels prevent the establishment of vegetation. Where there is a partial cover of wind-blown sand they may sometimes be used for low intensity grazing by camel, sheep or goats. They frequently have less than 5% vegetation cover of Cyperus conglomeratus and Zygophyllum spp.
The soils are recorded in eastern parts of the Emirate. They have been identified as a minor component in two map units.
Plate 43: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for Typic Haplosalids, coarse-loamy, mixed, hyperthermic (Soil AD145).
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Wehadkee series. Wehadkee soils are poorly drained and very poorly drained. Soft masses of iron accumulation are in shades of red, yellow, and brown are common thoughout. Runoff is very slow and internal drainage is very slow. Permeability is moderate. Most areas are frequently flooded and receive fresh sediment annually.
Landscape: Typical landscape for Wehadkee loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently flooded, ponded. Most of the area is in forest; chiefly water tolerant hardwoods such as sweetgum, blackgum, water oak, willow, oak, poplar, hickories, beech, and elm. Drained areas are used for pasture, corn, and hay.
The Wehadkee series consists of very deep soils on flood plains along streams that drain from the mountains and piedmont. They are formed in loamy sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, nonacid, thermic Fluvaquentic Endoaquepts
Solum thickness ranges from about 20 to more than 60 inches. The content of mica flakes ranges from few to many. The soil ranges from very strongly acid through neutral, but some part of the 10 to 40 inch control section is moderately acid through neutral. Content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 5 percent by volume in the A and B horizons, and from 0 to 20 percent by volume in the C horizons. Fragments are dominantly pebbles in size.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the area is in forest; chiefly water tolerant hardwoods such as sweetgum, blackgum, water oak, willow, oak, poplar, hickories, beech, and elm. Drained areas are used for pasture, corn, and hay.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The soil is of large extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WEHADKEE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Ardeen series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in coarse loamy drift with siliceous stones.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=10...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Humic-gleyic Luvisols (soils with clay enriched subsoil). These soils have humose topsoil and display gleyic features due to the presence of a shallow fluctuating groundwater table.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
The concept of hydric soils includes soils developed under sufficiently wet conditions to support the growth and regeneration of hydrophytic vegetation. Soils that are sufficiently wet because of artificial measures are included in the concept of hydric soils. Also, soils in which the hydrology has been artificially modified are hydric if the soil, in an unaltered state, was hydric. Some series, designated as hydric, have phases that are not hydric depending on water table, flooding, and ponding characteristics.
Camp Casey is a U.S. military base in Dongducheon (also spelled Tongduchon), South Korea, 40 miles (64 km) north of Seoul, South Korea.
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...
Profile of Consumo clay, 20 to 40 percent slopes. Consumo soils are characterized by surface and subsurface layers of clay over saprolite. They are in the udic soil moisture regime. (Soil Survey of San Germán Area, Puerto Rico by Jorge L. Lugo-Camacho, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Consumo series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, moderately permeable soils on summits and side slopes of mountains. They formed in residuum that weathered from basic volcanic rocks. Near the type location, the mean annual precipitation is about 76 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 77 degrees F. Slopes range from 20 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, isohyperthermic Typic Haplohumults
Thickness of the solum ranges from 14 to 24 inches. Thickness of the argillic horizon varies from 10 to 16 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid throughout.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Consumo soils are used for coffee, pasture and food crops. The vegetation consists of native and introduced grasses, shrubs, and trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid uplands of Puerto Rico. The series is of large extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/puerto_rico/PR...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#consumo
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Truce fine sandy loam. This soil is underlain by shale at a depth of about 110 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Jack County, Texas; by Wilfred E. Crenwelge, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Truce series consists of soils that are deep over claystone bedrock. These well drained, slowly permeable soils formed in loamy colluvium and/or slope alluvium over clayey residuum derived from claystone of Pennsylvanian age. These soils are on gently sloping to steep, convex ridges. Slopes are typically 1 to 5 percent, but range from 1 to 40 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 18.3 degrees C (65 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Udic Paleustalfs
Soil Moisture: Udic-ustic soil moisture regime
Depth to densic bedrock: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 in)
Surface Fragments: 0 to 20 percent; cobbles and stones of ironstone and sandstone.
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly used as rangeland. A few small areas are cropped to small grains and sorghums. Climax vegetation is an open post oak savannah with tall and mid grasses such as indiangrass, big and little bluestem, and sideoats grama. Most areas contain other woody plants such as blackjack oak and elm with invading mesquite, cedar, and lotebush. Present herbaceous vegetation consists mainly of sideoats grama, Texas needlegrass, hairy grama, threeawns, sand dropseed, and other low producing perennials and annuals with western ragweed, Engelmann-daisy, bundleflower, prairie clover, primrose, and gayfeather.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Texas North Central Prairies (MLRA 80B) and West Cross Timbers of Texas. The series is extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX237/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TRUCE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Clay illuviation versus mechanical clay infiltration:
Saprolite (the white-colored area) is weathered bedrock which still retains the original lithic fabric and characteristics. The nature of the saprolite is influenced by the type of rock from which it develops (if residual), and it determines the chemical and physical properties of the associated soils. It also is used to identify any soil parent material below the subsoil that has not been affected by pedogenesis, such as unaltered alluvium or colluvium.
The saprolite (the white-colored area) in this image is from a fluvomarine sediment formed by the joint action of river and sea marine deposits.
In soil science, the "C" horizon is the soil layer consisting more or less of weathered parent rock or deposited material that is little affected by pedogenesis (soil formation). However, if an overlying horizon contains a significant amount of clay, over time, the clay may be transported into and along vertical cracks or along channels within macropores creating thick clay coats or clay flows.
The question for this horizon is the origin of the clay and degree of transport. Is the concentration of clay the result of translocation from overlying horizons or in-situ weathering, or some combination?
Clay films are a coating of oriented clay on the surface of sand grains (clay bridging), soil aggregates, or peds. Clay films also line pores or root channels. This form of orientated clay is a relatively thin film and is considered a pedogenetic process resulting in diagnostic soil features.
The thick (>1-2mm) zones of clay accumulation (yellow to red area) in this substratum appears to be inflows and the thin (<1mm coatings or red splotches) appear to have formed in place.
What is the appropriate horizonation for this layer?
The "t" designation is most commonly associated with an argillic horizon. It indicates an accumulation of silicate clay that either has formed within a "horizon" and subsequently has been translocated within the horizon or that has been moved into the horizon by illuviation, or both. At least some part of the horizon shows evidence of clay accumulation, either as coatings on surfaces of peds or in pores, as lamellae, or as bridges between mineral grains.
However, is the "t" designation appropriate with all layers where clay coats or films are present? The use of a "t" has been recognized with non-pedogenic materials such as paralithic materials where the faces of pararock fragments are coated with clayey material (Crt). Therefore, is a "Ct" designation appropriate where clay coats or flows are present on plains of separation or along vertical cracks. (See footnote--Keys to Soil Taxonomy, p. 340; "Indicates weathered bedrock or saprolite in which clay films are present.")
A C/B horizon has discrete, intermingled bodies of two horizons: C material dominates, with lesser but discrete bodies of B material; however, is this horizonation appropriate if the "B" part is entirely structureless translocated clay?
This condition leads to a possible separation of the historical pedogenic clay films from in-filling of clayey material, i.e., "clay flows".
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1040618298...
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hQaXV7MpM
For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-...
or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...
A petrocalcic horizon is a diagnostic horizon in the USDA soil taxonomy (ST) and in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB). They are formed when secondary Calcium Carbonate or other carbonates accumulate in the subsoil to the extent that the soil becomes cemented into a hardpan.
For more information about soil classification in the UAE, visit:
vdocument.in/united-arab-emirates-keys-to-soil-taxonomy.h...
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-...
This soil is on level plains in coastal sabkha. It is along the edge of intertidal lagoons and on the adjacent, slightly higher salt flats in coastal sabkha. The surface commonly has a salt crust a few cm thick that may be blistered and raised in a polygonal pattern due to salt crystal growth and subsequent surface heaving.
This soil is poorly drained. Median measured saturated hydraulic conductivity class for the surface layer is very low due to the permanently high water table in this soil.
This soil is mostly used for natural areas. Commonly described vegetation species include Avicennia marina, Halopeplis perfoliata, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Zygophyllum qatarense, and Zygophyllum simplex. Vegetation cover is 1 to 10%.
This soil occurs in coastal sabkha, mostly in a narrow band between Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. The main distinguishing feature of this soil is the concentration of gypsum in the soil surface, the permanently high water table, and the elevated salinity levels. It is not suited to agriculture or building sites. This soil provides valuable habitat for shorebirds and other coastal plant and animal species.
A representative soil profile of the Williams series; North Dakota State Soil. (USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Staff). Credit: Smithsonian Institution’s Forces of Change.)
Many states have a designated state bird, flower, fish, tree, rock, etc. And, many states also have a state soil–one that has significance or is important to the state. The Williams is the state soil of North Dakota. Soils form the foundation of North Dakota, which is firmly recognized in the state’s motto “Strength from the Soil”.
In North Dakota, the Williams soil series is among the most extensive and economically important soils in the state. The native vegetation of the Williams series includes species such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, needleandthread, green needlegrass, and prairie junegrass.
These soils have high natural fertility and their content of organic matter creates highly productive landscapes. Most level to gently rolling areas of Williams soils are used for growing small grain crops such as wheat, barley, oats, flax, and sunflowers, whereas the steeper rolling and hilly areas are used as rangeland.
The soil name is derived from Williams County, North Dakota, although the type location is in Mountrail County, near the town of White Earth. In 1900, the Williams series was recognized as an official soil series for North Dakota. William soils formed under short grass prairies and were mostly converted to small grain production and working rangelands upon settlement. These working landscapes are still present today, although more recently the region where these soils predominant has been focused on great amounts of oil and gas extraction.
The Williams series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slow or slowly permeable soils formed in calcareous glacial till. These soils are on glacial till plains and moraines and have slope of 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
Depth to carbonates ranges from 10 to 30 inches. The soil typically contains 1 to 10 percent coarse fragments but ranges up to 20 percent. Stony and cobbly phases are recognized.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cultivated areas are used for growing small grains, flax, corn, hay or pasture. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, green needlegrass and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central South Dakota, central, and northwestern North Dakota and northeastern Montana. The soil is extensive.
For more information about this soil, visit:
www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/nd-state-soi...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WILLIAMS.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: The Shelocta series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium weathered from acid shale and sandstone. These sloping to steep soils are on concave side slopes and footslopes in the Cumberland Plateau and Mountains. Slopes range from 5 to 35 percent. Typical pedon of Shelocta silt loam, 20 to 35 percent slopes; in Scott County, TN; on a north-facing side slope, 100 feet east of a logging road south of Green Branch, 600 feet southeast of the confluence of Smoky Creek and Green Branch, about 2.4 miles south of the community of Hembree; lat. 36 degrees 12 minutes 08 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 25 minutes 04 seconds W.; USGS Fork Mountain Quadrangle:
Landscape: Pasture in an area of Allegheny-Cotaco complex, occasionally flooded, is in the foreground. Pasture in an area of Shelocta silt loam, 5 to 12 percent slopes, is the middle ground and to the right. An area of Gilpin-Bouldin-Petros complex, 25 to 75 percent slopes, very stony, is in the background on the mountainsides. (Soil Survey of Scott County Area, Tennessee; by Harry C. Davis and Jennifer R. Yaeger, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludults
Solum thickness ranges from 40 to to 60 inches or more. Depth to bedrock is more than 40 inches. Content of rock fragments ranges from 2 to 35 percent in the A horizon, from 5 to 50 percent in the individual B horizons, and from 15 to 70 percent in the 2B or C horizons. Reaction of the unlimed soils is strongly acid to extremely acid. Some pedons have A horizons that are medium acid or slightly acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: About 25 percent of Shelocta soils are cleared and used for general crops and pasture. Wooded areas have mixed hardwoods-- oaks, gum, maple, yellow-poplar, cucumber, and some pine and hemlock.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The plateau and mountain areas of Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The series is of large extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/tennessee/TN60...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SHELOCTA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Photo courtesy of EAD-Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.
Mahmoud Abdelfattah (center), served as mapping crew leader and deputy technical coordinator for the soil survey of Abu Dhabi Emirate and project manager for the Northern Emirates Soil Survey. He has over 25 years experience in teaching and research participating in numerous international conferences. He has authored over 50 published scientific papers and book chapters.
Typic Aquisalids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic are deep sands with a surface salt crust. The soils usually occur in sabkha flats within the coastal plain. They are formed in alluvial sands. They are poorly drained or somewhat poorly drained soils and have a moderately slow to moderate permeability. Water table fluctuates between 40 and 90cm depth.
www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/50635030647/in/photolist-2...
These soils are most commonly formed on plains and slight depressions in coastal flats above the tidal zone. The high salt concentration and the shallow water table prevent the growth of vegetation and the soils remain unused and barren.
For more information about soil classification in the UAE, visit:
vdocument.in/united-arab-emirates-keys-to-soil-taxonomy.h...
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:
Soil profile: Profile of Laidig soil in an area of Laidig channery loam, 3 to 15 percent slopes, rubbly. (Soil Survey of New River Gorge National River, West Virginia by Wendy Noll and James Bell, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Main feature: Fragipans are dense subsurface soil layers that severely restrict water flow and root penetration. They are considered a pedogenic horizon, but their exact genesis is not well understood.
The Laidig series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium from sandstone, siltstone, and some shale. They are gently sloping to very steep soils on benches and foot slopes. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid above the fragipan and moderately slow or slow in the fragipan. Slope ranges from 0 to 55 percent. Near the type location, the mean annual precipitation is about 34 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, mesic Typic Fragiudults
Typic Fragiudults are the Udults that have a fragipan with an upper boundary within 100 cm of the mineral soil surface. Perched ground water is above the pan at some period during the year, and many of the soils have thick, gray clay depletions near the top of the fragipan and in vertical seams between structural units. The vegetation on the Fragiudults in the United States has been a forest either of conifers or of broadleaf deciduous trees.
Correlation Note: The Laidig soils in New River Gorge National River are a taxadjunct to the series because the depth to the fragipan is below 100cm. With the fragipan starting at a depth of 122 cm, the pedon classifies as a Fragic Hapludult.
Fragic soil properties are the essential properties of a fragipan. Aggregates with fragic soil properties have a firm or firmer rupture-resistance class and a brittle manner of failure when soil water is at or near field capacity. Air-dry fragments of the natural fabric, 5 to 10 cm in diameter, slake when they are submerged in water. Aggregates with fragic soil properties show evidence of pedogenesis, including one or more of the following: oriented clay within the matrix or on faces of peds, redoximorphic features within the matrix or on faces of peds, strong or moderate soil structure, and coatings of albic materials or uncoated silt and sand grains on faces of peds or in seams. Peds with these properties are considered to have fragic soil properties regardless of whether or not the density and brittleness are pedogenic.
Soil aggregates with fragic soil properties must:
1. Show evidence of pedogenesis within the aggregates or, at a minimum, on the faces of the aggregates; and
2. Slake when air-dry fragments of the natural fabric, 5 to 10 cm in diameter, are submerged in water; and3. Have a firm or firmer rupture-resistance class and a brittle manner of failure when soil water is at or near field capacity; and
4. Restrict the entry of roots into the matrix when soil water is at or near field capacity
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/L/LAIDIG.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Tela sandy clay loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, rarely flooded. This soil occurs in water receiving positions. The productivity of this soil is limited mostly by the droughty nature of the South Texas climate. Tela soils are rarely flooded by overland flow as a result of high rainfall, often associated with tropical events. (Soil Survey of Duval County, Texas; by John L. Sackett III, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Tela Series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy alluvium. These nearly level, occasionally flooded soils occur along drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 559 mm (22 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 22 degrees C (72 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Aridic Argiustolls
Soil Moisture: An aridic ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for less than 90 consecutive days in normal years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22 to 23 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Solum thickness is more than 203 cm (80 in)
Depth to argillic: 15 to 35 cm (6 to 14 in)
Depth to identifiable secondary carbonates: 31 to 86 cm (12 to 34 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. A few areas are used for crop production of grain sorghum. Native vegetation is mostly a thick overstory of mesquite, whitebrush, huisache, a ground cover of trichloris, lovegrass tridens, plains bristlegrass, and hooded windmillgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I; MLRA 83B; moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX131/Du...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TELA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Turbeville loam. This soil has a dark brown surface layer and a subsoil of reddish brown and red clay. (Charles City County, Virginia; by Robert L. Hodges and Pamela J. Thomas, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Soils of the Turbeville series are very deep and well drained. They formed in old alluvium. They are nearly level to steep soils on high terraces in the Piedmont and upper Coastal Plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 44 inches and mean annual temperature is about 59 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kandiudults
Solum thickness ranges from 60 to 80 inches or more. Rock fragments ranges from 0 to 35 percent in the control section. They consist of rounded quartz, gneiss, or schist gravel or cobblestones. The soil is very strongly acid or moderately acid unless limed.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is cleared and used for cultivated crops and pasture. Native vegetation consists of oaks, dogwood, maple, with some loblolly, shortleaf, and Virginia pines.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Piedmont Plateau and portions of the upper Coastal Plain of Virginia and North Carolina. The series is of moderate extent. In older surveys these soils were correlated as Wickham, high terrace phase, and in more recent surveys as Hiwassee, light colored variant. The April, 2003 version moves the type location from Campbell County, Virginia to Halifax County, North Carolina.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/virginia/VA036...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TURBEVILLE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Loring series consists of moderately well drained soils with a fragipan. These soils formed in loess on level to strongly sloping uplands and stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 20 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs
Thickness of solum ranges from 45 to more than 80 inches. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 14 to 35 inches. Depth to a discontinuity to loamy coastal plains sediments (2Btx horizon) is more than 48 inches. The soil has a single clay maximum in the Bt horizon. Sand content throughout the solum is usually less than 10 percent but may range up to 15 percent. The A and B horizons range from moderately acid through very strongly acid. The C horizon ranges from slightly acid through very strongly acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all areas are cleared. The main uses are for growing cotton, small grains, soybeans, hay, and pasture. Wooded areas are in oaks, hickory, elm, maple, tulip poplar, and locust.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. The series is of large extent.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LORING.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Cotulla clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. There is an accumulation of exchangeable sodium in the soil. (Soil Survey of Live Oak County, Texas; by Paul D. Holland, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Cotulla series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in calcareous, saline-sodic, clayey residuum derived from mudstone. These nearly level to gently sloping soils are on foot slopes and side slopes of broad interfluves. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 559 mm (22 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 21.7 degrees C (72 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Sodic Haplusterts
Soil Moisture: An aridic ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for less than 90 consecutive days in normal years. .
Mean annual soil temperature: 22.2 to 24.4 degrees C (72 to 76 degrees F)
Solum thickness: ranges from 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 in)
Depth to slickensides: 12 to 38 cm (4 to 15 in).
Cracks: 1 to 5 cm (0.4 to 2 in) wide at the surface when dry and extend to a depth of 51 cm (20 in) or more.
Depth to salt accumulations: 25 to 85 cm (10 to 33 in).
Electrical conductivity: increases with depth in the upper 102 cm (40 in).
Exchangeable sodium percentage: 15 or more in the upper 102 cm (40 in) of the solum (SAR of 13 or more)
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly as rangeland; however, a few areas are cultivated. Grain sorghum, small grain and perennial introduced grasses are grown in the cultivated areas. Native vegetation includes grasses such as curlymesquite, plains bristlegrass, lovegrass tridens, pink pappusgrass, white tridens, and threeawn. Woody plants include running mesquite, upright mesquite, twisted acacia, lotebush, condalia, guayacan, spiny hackberry, pricklypear, and dwarf screwbean. Saladillo (Texas varilla) occurs in some areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western and Central Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I, MLRA 83B and 83C. large extent (about 117,000 acres correlated). These soils were formerly included in Catarina series, but has a soil moisture regime that will support nonirrigated crops.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX297/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/COTULLA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
North Carolina State Soil
Soil profile: The Cecil series consists of very deep, well drained moderately permeable soils that are deep to saprolite and very deep to bedrock. They formed in residuum weathered from felsic, igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont uplands.
Landscape: Cecil soils are on ridges and side slopes of the Piedmont uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. (Soil Survey of Wake County, North Carolina; Natural Resources Conservation Service)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults
The Bt horizon is at least 24 to 50 inches thick and extends to 40 inches or more. Depth to bedrock ranges from 6 to 10 feet or more. The soil ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the A horizons and is strongly acid or very strongly acid in the B and C horizons. Limed soils are typically moderately acid or slightly acid in the upper part. Content of coarse fragments range from 0 to 35 percent by volume in the A horizon and 0 to 10 percent by volume in the Bt horizon. Fragments are dominantly gravel or cobble in size. Most pedons have few to common flakes of mica in the Bt horizon and few to many flakes of mica in the BC and C horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: About half of the total acreage is in cultivation, with the remainder in pasture and forest. Common crops are small grains, corn, cotton, and tobacco.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Piedmont of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is of large extent, with an area of more than 5 million acres. Cecil soil is a Benchmark soil. A benchmark soil is one of large extent (aerial extent of 100,000 acres in LRR or 10,000 + acres in MLRA) within one or more major land resource areas (MLRAs), one that holds a key position in the soil classification system, one for which there is a large amount of data, one that has special importance to one or more significant land uses, or one that is of significant ecological importance.
The June 1988 revision changed the classification to Typic Kanhapludults and recognized the low activity clay properties of this soil as defined in the Low Activity Clay Amendment to Soil Taxonomy, August 1986. The December 2005 revision changed the type location from Catawba County, North Carolina to a more representative location.
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/C/CECIL.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of Clegg silt loam in an area of Cedarhill-Clegg-Drage, 5 to 55 percent slopes.
The Clegg series are very deep, well drained, moderately slow or moderately permeable soils on alluvial fans. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived from basic and intermediate igneous, sedimentary, and metasedimentary rocks. Slope ranges from 1 to 30 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 41 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Pachic Argixerolls
The mollic epipedon is 21 to 35 inches thick. Thickness of the argillic horizon ranges from 20 to 34 inches. Clay content of the particle size control section is 18 to 35 percent and coarse fragments range from 0 to 10 percent. Depth to the calcic horizon ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges 15 to 40 percent. The mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 61 to 63 degree F. The soils are usually moist but are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days in all parts of the moisture control section in more than 7 out of 10 years.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for rangeland for livestock and wildlife. Some are used for irrigated alfalfa and small grains. The principal native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, native bluegrasses, needleandthread grass, western wheatgrass, balsamroot, big sagebrush, bitterbrush, serviceberry, oakbrush, and associated forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northern Utah. The series is not extensive, about 30,000 acres.
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/C/CLEGG.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Casa Grande soil series; the State Soil of Arizona.
Landscape: Casa Grande soils are on nearly level fan terraces and relict basin floors. They are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat and irrigated cropland. Vegetation is desert saltbush, linear-leaf saltbush, wolfberry and scattered mesquite.
The Casa Grande series was first identified in 1936. It is named after the city of Casa Grande and the nearby Casa Grande National Monument, home of a large earthen building constructed by the Hohokam Indians nearly 1,000 years ago. The Spanish words “Casa Grande” mean “Big House.” The Indians used irrigation to remove excess salts from Casa Grande soils and raised cotton, grain, and vegetables on these productive soils, much as farmers do today.
The Casa Grande series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in old mixed alluvium. Casa Grande soils are on fan terraces and relict basin floors and have slopes of 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 7 inches (175 mm) and the mean annual air temperature is about 72 degrees F. (22.2 degrees C.)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Typic Natrargids
Soil moisture- Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July-September and December-February. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 72 to 78 degrees F. (22.2 to 25.6 degrees C.)
Rock fragments: less than 15 percent; some pedons contain hardpan fragments as a part of the coarse fraction.
Salinity: slightly to strongly saline
Sodicity: slightly to strongly sodic
Depth to calcic horizon: 20 to 40 inches, occurs mostly as vertically oriented, cylindrical masses
Organic matter content: less than one percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona; mainly in the central valley areas. This series is extensive. Total extent is more than 250,000 acres. MLRA is 40.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CASA_GRANDE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
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.
MLRA(s): 133A-Southern Coastal Plain, 137-Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills
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
Elevation (type location): Unknown
Frost Free Period (type location): 240 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 62 degrees F.
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 45 inches
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Fragic Kanhapludults
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 a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/V/VAUCLUSE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Norge series. (Soil Survey of Noble County, Oklahoma: by Gregory F. Scott, Troy L. Collier, Jim E. Henley, R. Dwaine Gelnar, and Karen B. Stevenson, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Terraces and conservation tillage on Norge silt loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes. Terraces are embankments, or ridges, constructed across sloping soils on the contour or at a slight angle to the contour. The terrace intercepts surface runoff so that water soaks into the soil or flows slowly to a prepared outlet. A terrace in a field is generally built so that the field can be farmed. A terrace intended mainly for
drainage has a deep channel that is maintained in permanent sod. Conservation tillage is a tillage system that does not invert the soil and that leaves a protective amount of crop residue on the surface throughout the year.
The Norge series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable upland soils that formed in loamy alluvium of Pleistocene age. These nearly level to sloping soils occur on flats and upper side slopes of upland terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual temperature is 16.1 degrees C (61 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is 864 mm (34 in).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Udic Paleustolls
Soil Moisture: Udic Ustic soil moisture regime
Solum thickness: more than 152 cm (60 in)
Thickness of mollic epipedon: is 30 to 41 cm (11 to 16 in)
Depth to secondary carbonates: is more than 102 (40 in)
Depth to argillic horizon: 45 to 105 cm (18 to 41 in)
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: cultivated small grains, grain sorghums, cotton, and alfalfa are the principal crops. Some areas are used for tame pasture or rangeland.
Native vegetation: consists of mid and tall grasses.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/oklahoma/OK103...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/N/NORGE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Dale series (Clayic Eutric Stagnosols) in England. (Cranfield University 2021. The Soils Guide. Available: www.landis.org.uk. Cranfield University, UK.)
Soils classified and described by the World Reference Base for England and Wales:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/wrb_list.cfm
The Dale association is found over Carboniferous mudstones and shales throughout the Pennine foothills, in the coalfields around Bristol, over similar rocks of Jurassic age in and around the North York Moors, and on small areas of Lower Palaeozoic rocks in the Welsh Borderland. It occurs on gently or moderately sloping valley sides below 300 m O.D.
Mapped areas are confined to small areas of Coal Measures shales around Cromhall, Coalpit Heath, Pensford, and Clutton in Avon and Nettlebridge in Somerset. The geological succession consists of shales interbedded with bands of less fissile mudstone and sandstone. These strata form a gently rounded landscape dominated by the clayey Dale series.
Dale soils are seasonally waterlogged (Wetness Class IV) where undrained. There is however wide variation in waterlogging according to rainfall. Excess winter rainwater moves laterally, mainly at shallow depth.
The highest land is predominantly in permanent grass but winter use is not advised because of poaching risk and it can be only lightly stocked at other times. Grass yields are potentially good in moist districts but less so in the lowlands where the soil moisture deficit is large. Opportunities for reseeding are restricted to summer months. At lower altitudes in Derbyshire cereals are grown with grass leys, but the fine loamy and clayey topsoils are unsuitable for root crops. Cultivations need careful timing as these soils usually have a large retained water capacity and low bearing strength when at or near field capacity. Early ploughing in autumn is essential and spring cultivation in wet years is likely to cause severe structural damage.
The main limitation to tree growth is shallow rooting caused by surface wetness, so ploughing and drainage are essential. Wind damage is possible in all but sheltered sites. The soils are easily prepared and are fertile, although weed growth is vigorous. Nitrogen status is good and in the higher parts of the North York Moors Sitka spruce has responded to phosphate. In North Yorkshire, planting is mainly Sitka or Norway spruce and some hardwoods with amenity value, namely ash, sycamore and elm, can be grown in sheltered places. Potential spruce yields are good. Lodgepole pine has also been commonly planted. Corsican pine, Japanese larch and hybrid larch have been planted to the north-east of Sheffield, where the climate is drier and air pollution appreciable.
For additional information about the soil association, visit:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/mapunit.cfm?mu=71201
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
United Arab Emirates Keys to Soil Taxonomy presents information for keying out the soils of the United Arab Emirates into separate classes and provides a guide to associated laboratory methods. Additionally, it will help the international soil science community to converse about UAE soils, and facilitate comparison to soils of other regions. These linkages allow countries with similar mapping and classification procedures and similar soils to transfer agriculture technology without conducting long-term experiments under similar environmental conditions, especially for Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia).
AUTHORS:
Shabbir A. Shahid has more than 32 years of experience as a soil scientist in Pakistan, the UK, Kuwait, and the UAE. He served as lead soil taxonomist, technical coordinator, and quality assurance expert. He is a prolific author with over 150 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals and books and was a pioneer in soil survey on the Arabian Peninsula.
Mahmoud A. Abdelfattah served as mapping crew leader and deputy technical coordinator for the soil survey of Abu Dhabi Emirate and project manager for the Northern Emirates Soil Survey. He has over 25 years experience in teaching and research participating in numerous international conferences. He has authored over 50 published scientific papers and book chapters.
Michael A. Wilson is a Research Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS-National Soil Survey Laboratory in Lincoln, Nebraska, He has served in this position for more than 25 years conducting soil genesis research specifically in the area of soil geochemistry and mineralogy. He has contributed to numerous USDA soils-related research projects in both the US and around the world specializing in climate change and soil classification/interpretation.
John A. Kelley is a soil scientist previously with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture and Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi, UAE. John is a soil survey quality assurance expert and a specialist in soil mapping, soil classification, and correlation of soil survey projects. He has extensive experience in soil survey procedures and documentation including digital soil photography.
Joseph V. Chiaretti is a soil scientist with the USDA and serves on the soil survey standards staff at the NRCS National Soil Survey Center located in Lincoln, NE. He is responsible for developing and maintaining soil survey division handbooks and technical documents.
_____________________________________________
The classification used predominantly is extracted from the 11th edition of the USDA-NRCS Keys to Soil Taxonomy, and sections relevant to the soils found in the UAE are included here. Primarily, this key is designed to fit the soil system of the United Arab Emirates. Information not found in the USDA key has been added including criteria and classes for:
(1) differentiating anhydritic soils from gypsic soils;
(2) identifying “lithic” subgroups for Aquisalids and Haplosalids;
(3) identifying “salidic” subgroups within the great groups of Gypsids, Calcids, Psamments, and Orthents; and
(4) incorporation of phases for soil taxa.
This book provides a mechanism for updating the current soil surveys and will facilitate the correlation of soils from new surveys within the UAE. Additionally, this book provides a source of information to help the international soil science community converse about UAE soils and their comparison to other soils. Commonality between classification systems used in different countries enhances linkages. These linkages allow countries with similar mapping and classification procedures and similar soils to transfer agriculture technology without conducting long-term experiments under similar environmental conditions.
The Cotaco series consists of very deep, moderately well or somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils formed in loamy sediments of acid sandstone, siltstone, and shale origin. These soils are on foot slopes, colluvial fans, and low stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 20 percent. The average annual temperature is about 55 degrees F, and the average annual precipitation is about 48 inches near the type location.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Hapludults
The solum thickness ranges from 30 to 60 inches, and depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Fragments of gravel-sized sandstone, shale, or siltstone range from 0 to 35 percent in the solum, and from 0 to 50 percent in the C horizon. Unless limed, the reaction ranges from strongly acid to extremely acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely used for crops, principally corn, burley, tobacco, small grains, truck, fruit, sorghum, and hay or pasture. Native forest has oak, hickory, elm, beech, sourwood, blackgum, and yellow-poplar as the dominant species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Primarily the Cumberland and Allegheny Plateaus in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the Northern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys in Virginia. Extent is moderate.
The 4/2002 revision updates this series to 8th edition Keys to Soil Taxonomy standards. Redoximorphic feature terminology and competing series were also updated at this time. Cation-exchange class placement is based on both pedon S78KY-121-3 and on geographically related soils such as Allegheny. The CEC/clay ratio of .27 for this pedon indicates a semiactive class.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/COTACO.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: Bonneau loamy fine sand, 0 to 4 percent slopes. Bonneau soils have thick sandy surface layers underlain by a loamy moderately permeable subsoil. In the winter months (December through March) they have a seasonal high water table at a depth of 40 inches or more.
Landscape: This nearly level and gently sloping, very deep, well drained soil is on broad, smooth, upland ridges of the Coastal Plain. Individual areas are irregular in shape and range from about 10 to 300 acres in size. (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)
archive.org/details/halifaxNC2006
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Arenic Paleudults
Depth Class: Very deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Well drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Deep, common
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
Index Surface Runoff: Negligible to medium
Permeability: Moderate
Shrink-swell potential: Low
Landscape: Lower, middle, and upper coastal plain
Landform: Marine terraces, uplands
Hillslope Profile Position: Summits, shoulders, backslopes
Geomorphic Component: Interfluves, side slopes
Parent Material: Marine deposits, fluviomarine deposits
Slope: 0 to 12 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Where cultivated--growing cotton, corn, soybeans, small grain, pasture grasses, and tobacco. Where wooded--mixed hardwood and pine, including longleaf and loblolly pine, white, red, turkey, and post oak, dogwood, and hickory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plain of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, with moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BONNEAU.html
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The Birome series consists of moderately deep, well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in iron enriched loamy and clayey sediments. These gently sloping to moderately steep soils are on low hills and ridges. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Ultic Paleustalfs
The solum thickness and depth to sandstone ranges 20 to 40 inches. Ironstone and sandstone pebbles and sandstone fragments less than an inch to 3 inches thick and 3 to about 10 inches across the long axis cover 0 to 20 percent of the soil surface. Pebbles and fragments comprise 0 to 35 percent of the epipedon and 0 to 10 percent in the argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly in wooded pasture. Native vegetation consists of little bluestem, purpletop, and shrubs with an overstory of post oak and blackjack oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Texas mainly in the East Cross Timbers land resource area. The soils are of moderate
extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BIROME.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#birome
For additional information about the Soil Survey area, visit:
This photo accompanies Figure 17.—Indicator A12, Thick Dark Surface. [Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States].
A close-up of the contact between the Ap and E horizons of a Tonka soil. Note the many soft masses of oxidized iron and redox depletions. Masses of iron are throughout the lower A horizon increasing with depth.
This soil is hydric based on Indicator A12 (Thick Dark Surface). Deep observation is needed to determine whether a soil meets the requirements of this indicator. In this soil, depth to the depleted matrix is about 55 cm.
This soil is on level to gently undulating alluvial plains and interdunal deflation plains. This soil is somewhat excessively drained. Median measured saturated hydraulic conductivity class
for the surface layer is high.
This soil is mostly used for rangeland grazing for camels. In areas where water is available, small farms have been developed. Where water resources have been depleted, cultivated lands are idle and returning to natural vegetation. Commonly described vegetation species include Acacia Tortilis, Calligonum comosum, Calotropis procera, Tribulus arabicus, and Rhazya stricta. Vegetative cover is mostly less than 5%, but may be as much as 10 to 15% in places.
This soil is on sandy alluvial plains and interdunal deflation plains in the western half of the area, mostly south of Ras Al Khaimah emirate. The main distinguishing feature of this soil is the sandy textures with accumulations of calcium carbonate in the subsoil. A desert pavement of fine to medium surface gravel provides some limited protection against wind erosion, but if disturbed, wind erosion can become a problem. Although the soil has limited water and nutrient holding capacity, where quality water is available it can be farmed successfully.
A representative soil profile of the Schaffenaker series. These soils formed in residuum derived from Oriskany Sandstone, which is of Devonian age and is at a depth of about 55 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Morgan County, West Virginia; by James W. Bell, soil survey project leader, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Schaffenaker series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in material weathered from sandstone. Schaffenaker soils are on convex upland sideslopes and ridges. Permeability is rapid. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 36 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 52 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mesic, coated Typic Quartzipsamments
Solum thickness ranges from 15 to 30 inches. Depth to lithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. Some pedons have a thin, paralithic weathering rind immediately above lithic contact. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid. Rock fragments in the solum range from 0 to 30 percent. A thin subhorizon immediately above the bedrock may contain up to 60 percent rock fragments. Thin, very weakly cemented lamella-like bands 3 or 4 feet long which do not have a significant increase in clay content are present in some pedons. Moisture equivalent of the control section ranges from 3 to 6 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly wooded but a few areas have been cleared and are idle or in pasture. Wooded areas are dominated by chestnut oak, scarlet oak, Virginia pine and sassafras.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Virginia, eastern Ohio and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent. MLRAs 147, 139. In the past this series was mapped as an inclusion in the Dekalb series.
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/S/SCHAFFENAKER.html
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A representative soil profile of the Dapplegray series in an area of Urban land-Dapplegray complex, 5 to 20 percent slopes. Human-transported materials extend below a depth of 160 centimeters. (Supplement to the Soil Survey of Los Angeles County, California, Southeastern Part; Narratives written by Randy L. Riddle, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Dapplegray series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in human-transported materials (HTM) on engineered hillslopes terraces in areas weathered from calcareous shale bedrock and other calcareous sedimentary rocks. The mean annual precipitation is about 383 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, spolic, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Xerorthents
Note: Taxonomic subgroup tagged as typic due to presence of human-transported materials. The soil has occurs on appropriate landforms and has soil properties that support the concept of human-transported materials. The use of the Anthroportic subgroup is not currently permitted in the xeric soil moisture regime, but will be explored for future consideration for correlation.
Soil moisture: moist below a depth of about 30 cm some time from October to December and remains moist in some part between depths of about 30 to 90 cm until April or May.
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 20 degrees C.
Human-transported materials (HTMs): typically greater than 100 cm, often greater than 200 cm thick.
Rock fragments: typically 10 to 35 percent, transported from the source material or are detached fragments from in-situ bedrock. Some pedons have less than 10 percent fragments.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.
Artifacts: 0 to 10 percent, construction debris.
USE AND VEGETATION: Dapplegray soils are used for residential neighborhoods in urban areas. Vegetation is ornamental plants, succulents and lawns.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal hills, foot hills, and low mountains of southern California mountains; MLRA 20. These soils are of moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/los...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DAPPLEGRAY.html
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Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Oxford series.
Landscape: Oxford soils are used dominantly for dryland cropping.
The Oxford series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in lacustrine deposits and alluvium derived from mixed sources. Oxford soils are on dissected lake terraces. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Haploxerepts
Soil moisture - Usually dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days in the 4 months following the summer solstice.
Mean annual soil temperature - 44 to 47 degrees F.
Vertic features - Cracks: Extend to the base of the surface horizon annually and are open to the soil surface in some years.
Linear extensibility (LE) - 6 to 9 cm.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 40 to 58 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Oxford soils are used dominantly for dryland cropping. Natural vegetation is assumed to have been basin big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and sod-forming grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. These soils are moderately extensive. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 28A, while other acreage occurs in MLRA 13.
For additional information about Idaho soils, please visit:
storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97d01af9d4554b9097cb0a477e04...
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soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/O/OXFORD.html
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A representative soil profile of the Aille series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in coarse loamy material over limestone bedrock.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=11...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Gleyic Brown Earths (relatively young soils or soils with little profile development). These soils display gleyic features due to the presence of a shallow fluctuating groundwater table.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
The Cerrado was thought challenging for agriculture until researchers at Brazil's agricultural and livestock research agency, Embrapa, discovered that it could be made fit for industrial crops by appropriate additions of phosphorus and lime. In the late 1990s, between 14 million and 16 million tons of lime were being poured on Brazilian fields each year. The quantity rose to 25 million tons in 2003 and 2004, equalling around five tons of lime per hectare. This manipulation of the soil allowed for industrial agriculture to grow exponentially in the area. Researchers also developed tropical varieties of soybeans, until then a temperate crop, and currently, Brazil is the world's main soyabeans exporter due to the boom in animal feed production caused by the global rise in meat demand.
Today the Cerrado region provides more than 70% of the beef cattle production in the country, being also a major production center of grains, mainly soya, beans, maize and rice. Large extensions of the Cerrado are also used for the production of cellulose pulp for the paper industry, with the cultivation of several species of Eucalyptus and Pinus, but as a secondary activity. Coffee produced in the Cerrado is now a major export.
Although hydric soils are typically associated with level or nearly level landscapes, the soils along this mountain base are hydric due to seepage and high rainfall levels.
Hydric soils are formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part (Federal Register, 1994). Most hydric soils exhibit characteristic morphologies that result from repeated periods of saturation or inundation that last more than a few days.
To download the latest version of "Field Indicators of Hydric Soils" and additional technical references, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=s...
Parent material refers to the substance from which the soil has been derived. While in most cases it is of geological origin, parent material can also be organic. The nature of the parent material can have a profound influence on the characteristics of the soil. The mineralogy of the parent material is mirrored in the soil and can determine the weathering process and control the natural vegetation composition.
Lithologic discontinuities are significant changes in particle-size distribution or mineralogy that represent differences in lithology within a soil. A lithologic discontinuity can also denote an age difference. It should be noted, not everyone agrees on the degree of change required for a lithologic discontinuity; therefore, no attempt is made to quantify lithologic discontinuities.
One line of field evidence is shape of rock fragments.—A soil with horizons containing rounded rock fragments overlying horizons containing angular rock fragments (or lack of fragments) may indicate a discontinuity. This line of evidence represents different mechanisms of soil formation (e.g., colluvial vs. residuum) or even different transport distances of the parent materials *colluvium vs. alluvium).
This photo illustrates colluvium (materials with rock fragments) underlain by residuum (folded weather bedrock).
Colluvium: Colluvium (also colluvial material or colluvial soil) is a general name for loose, unconsolidated sediments that have been deposited at the base of hillslopes by either rainwash, sheetwash, slow continuous downslope creep, or a variable combination of these processes. Colluvium is typically composed of a heterogeneous range of rock types and sediments ranging from silt to rock fragments of various sizes. This term is also used to specifically refer to sediment deposited at the base of a hillslope by unconcentrated surface runoff or sheet erosion.
Residuum: Residuum is often used to refer to the soil and subsoil that forms as the result of long weathering over bedrock. It is defined primarily as “the unconsolidated weathered at least partly, mineral material that has accumulated as consolidated rocks disintegrated in place. It is a type of soil parent material which has formed in place of origin. This distinguishes residuum from most other types of parent material.
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-...
Landscape: Gullied landscape of soils with petroferric contact/materials in Mississippi. In the southeastern US, Petroferric soils are often found in association with Plinthic soils.
Inset: Closeup of petroferric contact with 1-2 cm ironstone seam. Note the irregularity of the ironstone seam from linear to rounded shape.
A petroferric (Gr. petra, rock, and L. ferrum, iron; implying ironstone) contact is a boundary between soil and a continuous layer of indurated material in which iron is an important cement and organic matter is either absent or present only in traces. The indurated layer must be continuous within the limits of each pedon, but it may be fractured if the average lateral distance between fractures is 10 cm or more. The fact that this ironstone layer contains little or no organic matter distinguishes it from a placic horizon and an indurated spodic horizon (ortstein), both of which contain organic matter.
To date these soils have been observed in Louisiana. Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. They are estimated to occur throughout the Coastal Plain of the southeastern US.
The purpose in choosing a petroferric contact as a diagnostic feature distinct from a lithic contact is to identify the shallow layers of hard ironstone that may have been called hardened laterite and those that may have accumulated in a hard form. Petroferric contacts are extensive in tropical and subtropical regions. There may be shallow sandstone that is cemented by iron in any climatic region. The contact with such a layer is a lithic contact, not a petroferric contact. Several features can aid in making the distinction between a lithic contact and a petroferric contact.
First, a petroferric contact is roughly horizontal.
Second, the material directly below a petroferric contact contains a high amount of iron (normally 30 percent or more Fe2 O3)
Third, the ironstone sheets below a petroferric contact are thin; their thickness ranges from a few centimeters to very few meters. Sandstone, on the other hand, may be thin or very thick, may be level bedded or tilted, and may contain only a small percentage of Fe2 O3. In the Tropics, the ironstone is generally more or less vesicular.
(Fourth, typically there are intermittent soil layers between and below the ironstone sheets).
To view or download a pdf file of Soil Taxonomy visit Soil Taxonomy, 2nd Edition, 1999.
To view, print, or save a pdf copy of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th Edition, 2022, visit Keys to Soil Taxonomy
To download or order a hard copy of the latest version of Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th Edition, 2022, click HERE.
For an Illustrated Guide to Soil Taxonomy, click HERE.
For an overview video of Soil Taxonomy, click HERE.
A representative soil profile of the Hanslope series (Calcaric Stagnic Cambisols) in England. (Cranfield University 2021. The Soils Guide. Available: www.landis.org.uk. Cranfield University, UK.)
Soils classified and described by the World Reference Base for England and Wales:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/wrb_list.cfm
Hanslope soils are developed in chalky till on low plateaux and gently to strongly sloping valley flanks. These are soils on which, with good management, direct drilling can achieve similar yields of winter cereals to those achieved with conventional cultivation. Direct drilled spring crops, however, are less successful.
Hanslope soils are calcareous and argillic pelosols and provide some of the most extensive cereal growing land in the Midlands and Eastern England, covering 3,634 km². The soils are developed in chalky till on low plateaux and gently to strongly sloping valley flanks. Both the main soils are clayey to the surface, have slowly permeable subsurface horizons but are seldom seriously waterlogged. Hanslope soils have a calcareous, chalky subsurface horizon that is normally brown but can be grey mottled. It passes below into a dense mottled substrate containing chalk stones.
When undrained, Hanslope soils are seldom seriously waterlogged (Wetness Class III), despite a slowly permeable subsurface horizon, and waterlogging at shallow depth is brief in duration. They are responsive to drainage which can achieve an improvement to Wetness Class II in the drier districts (less than 125 F.C. days). With moderately permeable upper horizons but restriction at depth, they have a moderate potential for winter rain acceptance. Disposal of excess winter rain at shallow depth is by lateral flow and is more rapid on sloping than on level sites.
Hanslope soils have clayey water-retentive topsoils and slowly permeable subsoils but after appropriate drainage treatment they are moderately easy to work for sustained arable cropping. Opportunities for spring cultivations are restricted, so autumn-sown crops of winter cereals and oilseed rape are preferred, though spring barley, beans, sugar beet, brassicas and potatoes are also grown. These are soils on which, with good management, direct drilling can achieve similar yields of winter cereals to those achieved with conventional cultivation. Direct drilled spring crops, however, are less successful. Profile available water is slightly deficient for arable crops but the soils are moderately droughty for grass. Irrigation of root crops on these soils, however, can increase the risk of soil structural damage during harvesting.
A significant proportion of the land is in grass, either leys as part of an arable rotation or permanent grassland on the steeper slopes, but a large retained water capacity in the topsoil and the associated poaching risk restricts winter use. Drought reduces summer herbage yields. Potassium and magnesium status is generally good and phosphorus levels depend mainly on past management. Acidity is rare, base status is high and there are no trace element problems.
For additional information about the soil association, visit:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/series.cfm?serno=70...
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit: