LOCATION MAILE                   HI

Established Series
Rev. CWS/SN/AMS
02/2012

MAILE SERIES

The Maile series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over `a`a lava flows. Maile soils are on ash fields of mid elevation windward mountain slopes of Mauna Kea and have slopes of 0 to 20 percent. Mean annual rainfall is about 1905 millimeters (75 inches) and mean annual temperature is 17 degrees C (63 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isothermic Acrudoxic Hydrudands

TYPICAL PEDON: Maile hydrous silt loam, on a 10 percent east facing slope under a cover of kikuyu grass and ohia lehua at an elevation of 1030 meters (3380 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described the soil was moist throughout. All textures are apparent field textures.)

A1--0 to 12 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) hydrous silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, weakly smeary; many fine and few coarse roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; 2 percent gravel-sized `a`a lava; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 centimeters {2 to 6 inches} thick)

A2/2C--12 to 20 centimeters (5 to 8 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) and black (10YR 2/1) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic, weakly smeary; many fine roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; 5 percent black gravel-sized cinders and 5 percent charcoal; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 centimeters {2 to 4 inches} thick)

3Bw1--20 to 43 centimeters (8 to 17 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) hydrous silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, weakly smeary; many fine roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; 5 percent gravel-sized `a`a lava; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 centimeters {8 to 16 inches} thick)

3Bw2--43 to 73 centimeters (17 to 29 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) hydrous silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) dry; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic, moderately smeary; common fine roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; 8 percent gravel-sized `a`a lava; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (30 to 40 centimeters {12 to 16 inches} thick)

3Bw3--73 to 90 centimeters (29 to 35 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) hydrous silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) dry; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic, moderately smeary; few fine roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 25 centimeters {6 to 10 inches} thick)

3Bw4--90 to 152 centimeters (35 to 60 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) hydrous silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) dry; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic, moderately smeary; few fine roots throughout; many fine dendritic tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (55 to 65 centimeters {22 to 26 inches} thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii; 0.8 km (0.5 mile) east of Kukaiau Ranch headquarters at a point about 90 meters (100 yards) northwest of ranch road. From Hawaii Belt Road (Highway 19), turn southwest (mauka, or towards mountain) onto Kukaiau Ranch road at mile marker 34.5. Continue approximately 4 miles. Park at cattle corral and walk to type location approximately 150 yards to the west; Umikoa Quadrangle; 19 degrees 58 minutes 57.7 seconds North latitude and 155 degrees 22 minutes 42.5 seconds West longitude (Old Hawaiian Datum, +/- 12 feet, measured by Garmin GPS).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil is typically moist throughout the profile but may experience periodic drying of the control section less than 90 cumulative days, usually during the months of April to October (udic soil moisture regime).
Soil temperature: 17 to 19 degrees C (63 to 66 degrees F).
Reaction: Moderately acid to slightly acid (pH 6.0 to 6.5).
Depth to bedrock: Greater than 100 centimeters (40 inches).
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent on the surface and range from gravel to stone size `a`a lava rocks.

Oa or Oi horizon (may be present in pedons under forest canopy)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 to 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 2 moist.
Texture: highly decomposed plant material or slightly decomposed plant material.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 to 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 3 moist.
Texture: hydrous or medial silt loam, silty clay loam, or loam. May be highly organic.
Structure: Moderate to strong, very fine to medium, granular or subangular blocky.
Smeariness: Weakly or moderately smeary.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent (by volume of the pedon) gravel size `a`a lava rocks or cinder.

A2/2C horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2.5 to 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 4 moist.
Texture: ashy or medial sandy loam or loam.
Structure: weak to moderate, fine to medium, granular or subangular blocky.
Smeariness: Non or weakly smeary.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent (by volume of the pedon) gravel size cinder.

Bw horizons
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 to 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist.
Texture: hydrous silty clay loam or silt loam.
Structure: Weak to moderate, very fine to medium, subangular blocky.
Smeariness: Weakly to moderately smeary.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent (by volume of the pedon) gravel or cobble size `a`a lava rocks.

Thin, hard bands of volcanic ash are throughout the sola; they are extremely variable in number, thickness, and position within the sola.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Akaka, Honokaa, Honomanu, Kaiwiki, Kehena, Moaula, and Ohia soils. Akaka soils are moderately well drained with redoximorphic features in the A, Bw, and Bs horizons. Honokaa soils have silty clay loam textures throughout the profile and do not have an ashy layer near the surface. Honomanu soils have silty clay texture in the B horizons. Honomanu and Kehena soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Kaiwiki soils are strongly smeary throughout and have a perudic soil moisture regime. Moaula and Ohia soils are on younger Mauna Loa flows.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Maile soils are on mid elevation windward mountain slopes of Mauna Kea shield volcano at elevations from 915 to 1375 meters (3000 to 4500 feet). The soils are on all hillslope profile positions of undulating ash fields that overlie 11,000 to 300,000 year old lava flows. Slope gradients range from 0 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash. The mean annual rainfall is 1270 to 2286 millimeters (50 to 90 inches). Cloud cover and fog are common. The mean annual temperature is 16 to 18 degrees C (61 to 64 degrees F) and the mean annual soil temperature is 18 degrees C (64 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Honokaa and Umikoa soils. Honokaa soils have mean annual soil temperature of 19 degrees C (66 degrees F) and mean annual rainfall of 3175 millimeters (125 inches). Umikoa soils are dry in some or all parts for short intermittent periods totaling 90 or more days in normal years (ustic soil moisture) and a medial control section. Akihi soils are on narrow, rocky ridges that intersect Maile soils on 11,000 to 64,000 year old lava flows.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Low to medium runoff; Moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for pasture and timber plantations. Some areas of native forest remain. The vegetation is dominated by kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), rattailgrass (Sporobolus indicus), and sweet vernalgrass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) and Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) at the higher elevations. Natural vegetation includes koa (Acacia koa), ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha), hapuu treefern (Cibotium spp), and olapa (Cheirodendron trigynum).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Hamakua and Mauna Kea Districts, Island of Hawaii. The series is of moderate extent, with an area about 20,000 acres. MLRA 160: Subhumid and humid intermediate and high mountain slopes.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey, Territory of Hawaii, 1949.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Udic soil moisture regime - the soil is typically moist throughout the profile but may experience periodic drying of the control section less than 90 cumulative days, usually during the months of April to October.
Isothermic soil temperature regime.
Andic soil properties: 0 to 152 centimeters (0 to 60 inches).
Umbric epipedon: 0 to 73 centimeters (0 to 29 inches).

Edit Log:5/2004 SN. Horizon designations updated, plus minor edits.
8/2000 SN. Classification changed from Thixotropic, isomesic, Hydric Dystrandepts due to changes in Taxonomy.
09/2011 AMS. Changed taxonomy to isothermic based on soil temperature. Updated type location coordinates and range in characteristics.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Maile NSSL sample S65HI-001-007 (type location, formerly S65Ha-1-7), S65HI-001-008 (formerly S65Ha-1-8), S07HI-001-002).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.