LOCATION SOLSBERRY IN
Established Series
Rev. PMC-BGN-KKM
11/2021
SOLSBERRY SERIES
The Solsberry series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that are shallow or moderately deep to a fragipan. The Solsberry soils formed in loess, loamy materials, and in the underlying paleosol in till. They are on dissected till plains. Slope ranges from 6 to 18 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1118 mm (44 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Solsberry silt loam, on a convex, 8 percent slope in a pine woodland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; very fine interstitial and tubular pores; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 inches) thick]
BE--15 to 28 cm (6 to 11 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common distinct pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt coatings on faces of peds; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches) thick]
Bt--28 to 43 cm (11 to 17 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; very fine and fine tubular pores; many faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common distinct pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt coatings on faces of peds; very strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. [13 to 56 cm (5 to 22 inches) thick]
Btx1--43 to 58 cm (17 to 23 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate medium prismatic structure; firm; few fine roots between peds; very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; many faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay films and pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt coatings on faces of peds; few fine distinct pale brown (10YR 6/3) iron depletions in the matrix; brittle; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 23 cm (4 to 9 inches) thick]
2Btx2--58 to 74 cm (23 to 29 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; strong very coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium platy; firm; few fine roots between peds; very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; common distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common prominent gray (10YR 6/1) clay films on vertical faces of peds; common fine prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on vertical faces of peds; 2 percent channers and gravel; brittle; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
2Btx3--74 to 99 cm (29 to 39 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; strong very coarse prismatic structure; firm; very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; common distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on faces of peds; 8 percent channers and gravel; brittle; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Btx horizon is 30 to 51 cm (12 to 20 inches).]
3Btb1--99 to 114 cm (39 to 45 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) channery clay loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; many prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on faces of peds; 15 percent channers and gravel; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) thick]
3Btb2--114 to 142 cm (45 to 56 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay loam; strong medium angular blocky structure; very firm; many prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine and medium irregular weakly cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions; common fine prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; few prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on faces of peds; 14 percent channers and gravel; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [20 to 36 cm (8 to 14 inches) thick]
3Btb3--142 to 178 cm (56 to 70 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) channery clay loam; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm; many prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine and medium irregular iron and manganese oxide concretions; 17 percent channers and gravel; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [20 to 41 cm (8 to 16 inches) thick]
3Btb4--178 to 203 cm (70 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) channery clay loam; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; many prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; many fine and medium iron and manganese oxide concretions; 15 percent sandstone channers; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Owen County, Indiana; 525 feet west and 750 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 16, T. 10 N., R. 4 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 183 to 203 cm (72 to 80 inches) or more
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to the fragipan: 46 to 91 cm (18 to 36 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 20 to 27 percent clay and 6 to 14 percent fine and coarser sand
Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: silt loam
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid in unlimed areas, and ranges to neutral in limed areas
Bt, Btx horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Sand content: 1 to 10 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid in unlimed areas, and ranges to slightly acid in limed areas
2Btx horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 6 to 8
Texture: commonly silt loam or loam, and less commonly clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Sand content: 23 to 40 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid
3Btb horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 6 to 8
Texture: commonly clay loam, channery clay loam, loam, or channery loam, and less commonly clay
Clay content: 25 to 45 percent
Sand content: 25 to 45 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 35 percent, dominantly sandstone channers; at least one subhorizon averages 15 percent or more channers
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: These are
Apalona,
Ava,
Bedford,
Boston,
Cincinnati,
Fountainville,
Grantsburg,
Hildebrecht,
Hosmer,
Lawrenceville,
Nicholson,
Omulga,
Otwell,
Otwood,
Weisburg, and
Zanesville series. Apalona, Nicholson, and Zanesville soils are formed loess and residuum. Ava, Boston, Cincinnati, Grantsburg, Hosmer, Lawrenceville, Omulga, Otwell, Otwood, and Weisburg soils do not have a subhorizon on the lower part of the series control section that averages 15 percent or more sandstone channers. Bedford soils have more than 45 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Fountainville soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Hildebrecht soils have more than 10 percent rock fragments in the fragipan.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Solsberry soils are on shoulders and backslopes of dissected till plains. Slope ranges from 6 to 18 percent. The soils formed in loess, loamy materials, and in the underlying paleosol in till. The till has rock fragments of mixed lithology, but dominantly of sandstone. Interbedded sandstone, siltstone, and shale bedrock is typically at depths of 203 to 254 cm (80 to 100 inches). Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1067 to 1143 mm (42 to 45 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 12 to 13 degrees C (53 to 56 degrees F). Frost-free period ranges from 170 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Ava and
Cincinnati soils. The Ava soils are on summits and shoulders of dissected till plains. The well drained, less channery Cincinnati soils are on similar landform positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 46 to 76 cm (1.5 to 2.5 feet) between December and April in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the upper part of the subsoil and low in the fragipan. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the subsoil and very slow within the fragipan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for woodland or are used for growing grasses and legumes for hay and pasture. A few areas are used for growing corn, soybeans and winter wheat. Native vegetation is deciduous hardwood trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Indiana; MLRA 114B. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Owen County, Indiana, 1997.
REMARKS: This series was correlated as Cincinnati Variant in the Clay County, Indiana Soil Survey and Cincinnati channery substratum in the Greene County, Indiana Soil Survey.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (Ap, BE horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 203 cm (Bt, Btx, 2Btx, 3Btb horizons).
Fragipan: from a depth of 58 to 99 cm (2Btx2, 2Btx3).
Aquic conditions: redox depletions or clay films with chroma of 2 in all horizons below a depth of 58 cm.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data available for pedon S89IN119-14 (typical pedon) at the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska. Lab data available for pedons S77IN121-36, S80IN55-11, and S87IN119-5 at the Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.