LOCATION ZERKEL MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Zerkel loam on a slightly convex slope of 1 percent on a ground moraine under a deciduous forest. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; 1 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
E--4 to 10 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam; light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak fine platy structure; very friable; 1 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
B/E--10 to 15 inches; about 90 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam (Bt); about 10 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam (E); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--15 to 21 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--21 to 29 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay loam; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron concentrations and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 6 to 24 inches)
Bk--29 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) stratified very fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, and silt loam; common medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) iron concentrations and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common medium irregularly shaped calcium carbonates in filaments and soft masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
C--37 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) and light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) stratified very fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand and silt loam; common medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) iron concentrations and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; massive; very friable; common medium irregularly shaped filaments and soft masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Clearwater County, Minnesota; about 6 miles south and 4 miles west of Bagley; 1100 feet east and 300 feet south of the northwest corner of section 27, T. 146 N., R. 38 W.; USGS Zerkel NW quadrangle; lat. 47 degrees 26 minutes 24 seconds, N. and long. 95 degrees 28 minutes 58 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates range from 20 to 40 inches. Rock fragments of mixed lithology make up 0 to 4 percent of the profile by volume
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or silt loam. It is moderately acid to neutral. The dry color has value of 5 or less and chroma of 3 or less. Some pedons may have an Ap horizon as much as 9 inches thick.
The E horizon has a hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loamy fine sand. It is moderately acid to neutral. When plowed, the E horizon may be completely incorporated within the plow layer.
The B/E horizon, has properties similar to the Bt and E horizons respectively.
The Bt horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, clay loam, silt loam or silty clay loam with thin subhorizons of sandy clay loam in some pedons. It has distinct or prominent clay films on the faces of peds. It is moderately acid to neutral.
The Bk and C horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 2 to 4. They are stratified primarily with textures of loamy very fine sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam. Thin subhorizons of silty clay loam or sandy clay loam may be present in some pedons. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are no other competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zerkel soils are on nearly level to gently sloping, plane or slightly convex positions on moraines. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. They formed in stratified lacustrine and glacio-fluvial deposits. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 27 inches. Frost free period ranges from 90 to 130 days. Elevation above sea level ranges from 1200 to 2000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lengby and Willosippi soils. Lengby soils are well drained and are on convex side slopes and hilltops. Willosippi soils are poorly drained and are in swales and on slightly concave positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is moderately low. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow in the upper part and moderate or moderately rapid in the lower part. Depth to an apparent water table is as high as 2.5 to 3.5 feet at some time from April through June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is forested with the main species being quaking aspen, paper birch, American basswood and sugar maple. Some areas are cropped to small grain, corn and alfalfa. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT North central Minnesota. This soil is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clearwater County, Minnesota, 1993. Source of the name is a small town in southern Clearwater County.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 4 inches (A horizon); albic horizon - the zone from 4 to 10 inches (E horizon); glossic horizon - the zone from 10 to 15 inches (B/E horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 10 to 29 inches (B/E and Bt horizons); udic moisture regime; oxyaquic subgroup based upon saturation of one or more layers within 40 inches of the surface for 1 month or more per year in 6 or more out of 10 years.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code Nos. 4763 and 4764 for results of some laboratory data on representative pedons.