LOCATION KONA                    HI

Established Series
Rev. RTG/MRK
05/2012

KONA SERIES

The Kona series consists of very shallow, moderately well drained organic soils. These soils formed in organic material mixed with minor amounts of basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 40 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 1650 millimeters (65 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 19 degrees C (66 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic, isothermic, micro Lithic Udifolists

TYPICAL PEDON: Kona very cobbly highly decomposed plant material, on a west facing, slightly convex, 18 percent slope under forest at an elevation of 579 meters (1900 feet). (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH measured with organic dyes. When described on February 12, 1998, the soil was moist.)

Oa/2C--0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) very cobbly highly decomposed plant material; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; many fine roots matted at the bottom of horizon; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 2C material consists of unconsolidated pahoehoe lava fragments (30 percent subangular cobbles and 10 percent subangular gravel); slightly acid (pH 6.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 25 centimeters {2 to 10 inches} thick)

2R--13 centimeters (5 inches); hard, massive pahoehoe lava.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; on Kealia Ranch in South Kona; drive east and mauka (upslope) for 1.1 miles on 4WD road that is south of the Kiilae Watercourse; pedon is located 49 meters (160 feet) south of 4WD road; Kaunene Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 24 minutes 50.7 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 52 minutes 0.1 seconds W. (GPS/PLGR; Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 5 to 25 centimeters (2 to 10 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 22 degrees C (63 to 71 degrees F).
Rock fragments: 0 to 60 percent by volume of the pedon and range in size from gravel to stones, but are primarily gravel and cobble size lava rocks.
Organic carbon (by weight): 25 to 50 percent of the less than 2.0 mm soil material.

Oa/2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 moist or 2 or 3 dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist or dry.
Texture: Very cobbly or cobbly highly decomposed plant material, or highly decomposed plant material.
Soil reaction: Slightly acid or moderately acid (pH 5.1 to 7.3).

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Keei series. Keei soils are moist in the control section from October thru April.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kona soils are on mid elevation, leeward slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes at elevations from 305 to 1067 meters (1000 to 3500 feet). These soils are on all hillslope components of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to steep pahoehoe flows that are less than 5,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 40 percent. The soils formed mainly in organic material consisting of decomposed leaves, twigs, and wood; and to a lesser degree basic volcanic ash, cinders, and weathered lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1270 to 2030 millimeters (50 to 80 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from April thru October. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 640 to 1020 millimeters (25 to 40 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 16 to 22 degrees C (61 to 71 degrees F). The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C (11 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Honaunau, Honuaulu, Hookena, Hua, Kealakekua, Napoopoo, and Puna series. Honaunau, Hua, and Kealakekua soils are hydrous. Honuaulu and Napoopoo soils are hydrous-skeletal. Hookena soils are sandy-skeletal. Puna soils are organic soils over `a`a lava.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is negligible in depressions on gentle slopes and high to very high on steeper slopes. Permeability is moderately rapid in the organic material and very slow in the underlying pahoehoe bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for wildlife habitat; some areas are used for grazing. The natural vegetation is ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), guava (Psidium guajava), and christmasberry (Schinus terebinthifolius).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North and South Kona districts, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 159 and 161. The soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii 1971.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - moist and not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days in most years (Udic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Sapric soil materials - from a depth of 0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches) (Oa/2C horizon).
Lithic contact - at a depth of 13 centimeters (5 inches) (R horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS Pedon User ID 01HI601016.

Edit Log: 11/3/99 Classification revised due to changes in Soil Taxonomy. Old Classification: Euic, isothermic Lithic Tropofolists. Type location moved to a representative site. Competing series have been updated. MRK 2/20/08 Minor edits made. MRK

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.