LOCATION ALMIRANTE PREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic Plinthic Hapludox
TYPICAL PEDON: Almirante clay--Pangolagrass (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; common quartz sand grains; common fine dark brown (10YR 3/3) concretions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 25 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; few faint clay films on ped faces; few fine pores; common quartz sand grains; few fine dark concretions; common black (10YR 2/1) stains on surfaces of peds; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (12 to 20 inches thick)
Btv1--25 to 40 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, sticky, plastic; few faint clay films on ped faces; few fine dark brown (10YR 3/3) concretions and dark stains; few fine quartz sand grains; about 8 percent, by volume, plinthite; common medium distinct dark red (10R 3/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btv2--40 to 60 inches; about 33 percent dark red (10R 3/6), 33 percent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and 34 percent light gray 5Y 7/1) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; sticky, plastic; few faint clay films on ped faces; few quartz sand grains; about 15 percent, by volume, plinthite; the areas in shades of red and yellow are masses of iron accumulation and the areas in shades of gray are iron depletions; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: San Juan SCD, Puerto Rico; approximately 40 feet north of kilometer marker 0.6 on highway 694 in the township of Dorado.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. Depth to non-indurated plinthite ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid throughout.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is clay.
The upper part of the Btv horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Redoximorphic accumulations in shades of yellow or red range from few to common. Plinthite ranges from 5 to 20 percent, by volume. Texture is clay.
The lower part of the Btv horizon has no dominant color and is multicolored in shades of brown, red, yellow, and gray. Plinthite ranges from 5 to 20 percent, by volume. Texture is clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Almirante soils are in coastal plains and in valleys between the limestone hills (haystacks or mogotes). Slopes range from 2 to 12 percent. They formed in fine textured sediments of mixed origin. These are known locally as coastal plains clays or tertiary clays. The climate is humid tropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 60 to 70 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 77 to 79 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bayamon, Tanama, and Vega Alta soils. Bayamon and Pina soils are on similar positions and have red, more weathered control sections and have oxic rather than argillic horizons. Tanama soils are on higher positions and are shallow to hard limestone bedrock. Vega Alta soils are on similar positions, have less clay in the control section, and are Ultisols.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for the production of sugarcane, food crops, pineapple and grasses. The vegetation consists of native and introduced species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid coastal plains of Puerto Rico. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey of Puerto Rico; 1942.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon: the zone from 0 to 7 inches (Ap horizon).
Argillic Horizon: the zone from 7 to 60 inches (Bt, Btv1, Btv2 horizons).
Plinthite: more than 5 percent in the Btv1 and Btv2 horizons.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization Data for two pedons, S72PR-9-1 and S73PR-07-3. Samples by NSSL, Lincoln, NE.