LOCATION MOX                     WA

Established Series
Rev. TMR/SBC
06/2011

MOX SERIES

The Mox series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium from glacial drift. Mox soils are found on slopes of 15 to 60 percent on debris aprons and Pleistocene moraines. The mean annual precipitation is about 2,280 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic Andic Humicryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Mox ashy sandy loam, with approximately 20 percent of the soil surface covered with subangular stones, located on a forested north facing Pleistocene moraine with a slope of 30 percent and an elevation of 850 meters. When described on September 29, 2006 the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oi--0 to 4 cm; slightly decomposed leaves, needles, and twigs; common very fine to fine roots; abrupt wavy boundary.

Oe--4 to 16 cm; moderately decomposed needles and twigs; common very fine to fine and many medium to coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; abrupt wavy boundary.

E--16 to 27 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and common fine to coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent stones; extremely acid (pH 4.4); abrupt irregular boundary.

Bs--27 to 49 cm; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) cobbly medial sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine to medium, few very fine and coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.1); abrupt irregular boundary.

Bhs--49 to 76 cm; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) cobbly medial sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine to medium roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 15 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary.

2BC--76 to 94 cm; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; few fine to medium irregular pores; 10 percent fine gravel, 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 20 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt wavy boundary.

2C--94 to 152 cm; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; single grain; loose, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium interstitial pores; 10 percent fine gravel, 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 5.7).

TYPE LOCATION: Whatcom County, Washington; approximately 6 km northwest of Whatcom Pass, North Cascades National Park Service Complex; 540 meters east and 430 meters north of the southwest corner of section 31, T. 31 N., R. 11 E. Willamette Meridian; Copper Mountain, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 54 minutes, 30 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees, 25 minutes, 34 seconds west longitude; UTM 615310 meters E, 5418480 meters N, zone 10N NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature 4 to 8 degrees C. Cryic soil temperature regime.
Moisture control section - dry less than 30 consecutive days. Udic soil moisture regime.
Particle-size control section:
The particle-size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent throughout both portions
Rock fragments, medial portion - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Rock fragments, loamy-skeletal portion - 35 to 70 percent total, 25 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 15 to 50 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Thickness of volcanic ash mantle (ashy and medial textural modifiers): 30 to 75 centimeters

E horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 to 6 moist, 5 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy SL or ashy FSL
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent total, 0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 35 to 80 percent
Reaction - extremely acid to very strongly acid
Thickness - 2 to 15 centimeters

Bs horizon
Hue - 5YR to 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 3 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - medial SL or medial FSL
Rock fragments - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 15 to 70 percent
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 15 to 30 centimeters

Bhs horizon
Hue - 5YR to 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 3 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 3 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - medial SL or medial FSL
Rock fragments - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 15 to 70 percent
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 15 to 45 centimeters

2BC horizon
Hue - 5YR to 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - COSL or SL
Rock fragments - 35 to 70 percent total, 25 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 15 to 50 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 15 to 40 centimeters

2C horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL, COSL, or LS
Rock fragments - 35 to 90 percent total, 30 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 10 to 60 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction - moderately acid to strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. The Haywire and Stirrup soils have similar classifications but are medial-skeletal in the upper part of the particle-size control section. Haywire soils are loam or silt loam in the lower part of the particle-size control section, and are moderately deep (50 to 100 cm) to a lithic contact. Stirrup soils contain angular andesite rock fragments.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mox soils are on slopes of 15 to 60 percent on debris aprons and Pleistocene moraines at elevations from 800 to 2,000 meters. They formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium from glacial drift. The climate is characterized by cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1,500 to 3,300 millimeters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 8 degrees C. Frost-free season is 30 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chilliwack and Spickard soils. Chilliwack soils have a sandy fine earth fraction in the lower part of the particle-size control section and have less organic carbon in the spodic horizon. Spickard soils have ashy textural modifiers throughout the upper portion of the profile and lack well defined albic and spodic diagnostic subsurface horizons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mox soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed drainage. Native vegetation includes Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, mountain hemlock, Engelmann spruce, western redcedar, red huckleberry, bracken fern, bunchberry dogwood, queens cup beadlily, and rattlesnake plantain.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Cascade Mountains, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Chelan County, Washington, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Particle-size control section - 16 to 116 cm (25 to 100 cm from the mineral surface)
Folistic epipedon - 0 to 16 cm (Oi and Oa horizons)
Albic horizon - 16 to 27 cm (E horizon)
Spodic horizon - 27 to 76 cm (Bs and Bhs horizons)
Andic soil properties - 16 to 76 cm (E, Bs, and Bhs horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity - 76 centimeters
The Bhs horizon has 6 percent or more organic carbon.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.