LOCATION ANNISTON ALEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Anniston loam--idle.
(Colors are for moist soil.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; common fine roots; few pebbles of quartzite; few sandstone cobbles; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
A3--4 to 7 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) loam; weak
fine granular structure; friable; common fine and coarse roots;
few pebbles of quartzite and sandstone; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
B21t--7 to 14 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam;
moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine
and coarse roots; common very thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; black coatings on few faces of peds; few sandstone
fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. ( 5 to 22 inches thick)
B22t--14 to 29 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam;
moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and coarse roots; common very thin patchy clay films on faces of peds that are slightly darker than broken peds; common fine pores; few fine black concretions; few sandstone fragments; very strongly
acid; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 33 inches thick)
B23t--29 to 52 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam;
moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few coarse roots; nearly continuous very thin clay films on most faces of
peds that are slightly darker than broken peds; common fine pores; few fine black concretions; few sandstone fragments; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
B24t--52 to 82 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; nearly continuous
thin clay films on most faces of peds; common fine pores; few fine black concretions; common sandstone fragments; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Calhoun County, Alabama; 1/2 mile east of Camp
Zinn (Boy Scout Camp). NW1/4NE1/4 sec. 12, T. 16 S., R. 8 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 70 to more than 90 inches. Coarse fragments of gravel and cobbles of chert, sandstone, and quartzite range from 0 to 30 percent in the A
horizon and 0 to 10 percent in the B2t horizon. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid except for surface layers that have been limed.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is sandy loam, loam, silt loam or their gravelly counterparts.
The B2t horizon has hue of 10R through 5YR, value of 3, and chroma
of 3 through 6. Texture is clay loam or clay. The upper 20
inches of the B2t has more than 20 percent silt and more than 20 percent sand. Black concretions and coatings range from few to common. Base saturation is more than 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Davidson,
Decatur,
Greenville,
Gwinnett, and
Hiwassee series. Davidson soils have less than 15 percent base saturation and are formed in residuum high in ferromagnesium. Decatur and Greenville soils have less than 10 percent silt in their control sections, and, in addition, Decatur soils have less than 20 percent sand in the B2t horizon. Gwinnett soils have sola less than 40 inches thick. Hiwassee soils have
clay decreases of more than 20 percent within 60 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Anniston soils occur on gently sloping to
steep uplands. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The regolith
is old loamy and clayey alluvium and colluvium derived from sandstone, shale, and quartzite. The climate is warm and humid.
The mean annual air temperature is 62 degrees F. and the mean
annual precipitation is about 59 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing
Decatur series, these include the
Allen,
Cane,
Locust, and
Minvale series. Allen, and Minvale soils have yellowish red or red B horizons and are less clayey. Cane and Locust soils have
fragipans.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium or
rapid. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils on slopes of less than 5 percent
are mostly cleared and used for corn, cotton, pasture, and hay. Steep slopes are in mixed hardwood and pine forests.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Limestone valleys of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and possibly Tennessee. This series is of moderate
extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Calhoun County, Alabama; 1959.
REMARKS: The Anniston series was formerly classified in the Reddish-Brown Lateritic great soil group.