LOCATION SARKAR                  AK

Established Series
Rev. RWG/JPM
02/2022

SARKAR SERIES

The Sarkar series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium from weathered calcareous bedrock. Sarkar soils occur on dissected ridges, knobs, and sideslopes having karst topography. Slopes range from 10 to 120 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 130 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive Lithic Humicryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Sarkar silt loam - under forest. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi--5 to 4 1/2 inches; living mosses and undecomposed forest litter.

Oe--4 1/2 inches to 0; black (5YR 2.5/1) partially decomposed forest litter; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; extremely acid (pH 4.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 10 inches thick)

E--0 to 1 inch; dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine medium and coarse roots; 5 percent cobble and gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)

Bhs--1 to 2 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, medium and coarse roots; many fine and medium pores; 5 percent cobble and gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

Bs--2 to 12 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) silt loam; weak fine to medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots; many fine and medium pores; 5 percent cobble and gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (1 to 15 inches thick)

BC--12 to 13 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots; many fine and medium pores; 5 percent cobble and gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)

R--13 inches; crystalline limestone.

TYPE LOCATION: Hollis Area, Alaska; second inlet on west shore of Nossuk Bay, Prince of Wales Island; 75 yards south of the beach; NE 1/4, SW 1/4, SW 1/4, section 7, T.71S., R.70E., Copper River Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum typically is 13 inches thick but ranges from 8 to 17 inches. Depth to bedrock is from 8 to 20 inches. Coarse fragments in the upper part of the solum range from 5 to 15 percent and are dominantly gravel. Coarse fragments range up to 30 percent in the lower B horizons of some pedons. Some pedons have a buried sequum. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Reaction is extremely acid to neutral throughout the profile.

The E horizon has hue from 5YR through 10YR, value moist from 4 through 7, and chroma moist from 1 to 3. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam.

The Bhs horizon has a hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, and chroma moist from 0 to 2.

The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR or 10YR, value moist from 2 to 4 and chroma moist from 2 to 6. Texture of the B horizons is silt loam or loam.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Snettisham (AK) and Traitors (AK) series. Snettisham soils are mottled in the spodic horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sarkar soils are on ridges, knobs, and side slopes. The soils formed in residuum and colluvium from calcareous bedrock. The climate is humid maritime with average annual rainfall greater than 100 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 degrees F., and the average summer temperature is 55 degrees F. Slopes are 10 to 120 percent. Elevation ranges from 0 to 3000 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Karta, McGilvery, Ulloa and Wadleigh soils. Karta soils are very gravelly and overlie compact glacial till on backslopes of mountainsides. McGilvery soils consist of partially decomposed forest litter resting directly on bedrock on shoulderslopes of mountainsides. Ulloa soils are deeper than 20 inches over bedrock and are on ridges, knobs and sideslopes. Wadleigh soils are poorly drained and overlie compact glacial till on footslopes of mountainsides.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Sarkar soils are used for timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and recreation. The overstory vegetation is dominated by Sitka spruce and western hemlock. The subordinate vegetation consists largely of blueberry and mosses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Alaska. The series is extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hollis Area, Alaska, 1969.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are: an albic horizon from 0 to 1 inch; a spodic horizon from 1 to 12 inches; a lithic contact at 13 inches; a cryic temperature regime; greater than 6 percent organic carbon in the upper spodic horizon; loamy material from 0 to 13 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Limited laboratory data is available for this soil: Stand Density Plot pedon number 104.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.