LOCATION ARCHBOLD FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hyperthermic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Archbold sand--forested. (When described the soil was dry to 35 inches and moist below.)
A--0 to 4 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) sand; single grained; loose; many fine and medium roots; strongly acid; diffuse boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
C--4 to 80 inches; white (10YR 8/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine and medium roots; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Highlands County, Florida; approximately 0.1 mile north and 0.8 mile west of Archbold Station headquarters; SW1/4SW1/4, sec. 7, R. 30 E., T. 38 S.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Soil reaction is slightly to extremely acid. The soil is sand or fine sand throughout. The silt plus clay content in the 10- to 40-inch control section is less than 2 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Some pedons have a slightly decomposed thin layer of leaves on the surface. Many pedons have clean white sand grains interspersed with organic matter in the A horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 6 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2 or it is neutral (N) with these values. In some pedons there is staining along old root channels.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Astatula, Candler, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Tavares series in the same family and Adamsville and Satellite series in closely similar families. All of the competing series in the same family except Tavares soils do not have a watertable for significant periods within a depth of 80 inches. Tavares soils have higher moist color chromas and a higher clay content, and thus, can support a less droughty vegetation than the Archbold soils. Adamsville and Satellite soils have water tables at depths of 10 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Archbold soils are on nearly level to gently sloping ridges in the Lower Coastal Plain. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. The regolith is a thick bed of marine and eolian sands. Near the type location the mean annual precipitation is 55 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 74 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Satellite and St. Lucie series and the Basinger and Placid series. Satellite soils are on lower knolls and ridges and are wetter. The St. Lucie soils are on slightly higher ridges and have a deeper water table. Basinger and Placid soils are in wet depressions and sloughs adjacent to areas of Archbold soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Depth to seasonal high water table ranges from 42 to 60 inches during the months of June through November in most years. The water table is at 60 to 80 inches for most of the remainder of the year. Permeability is very rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is in native scrub forest of sand pine, bluejack oak, sawpalmetto, pricklypear cactus and scattered stands of pineland threeawn. Some of the soil is used for building sites and as source of sand for concrete.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Indian River County, Florida; 1984.
REMARKS: Archbold soils were previously mapped as part of the St. Lucie series. Archbold soils are wetter than St. Lucie soils. Tavares soils, as sampled in Highlands County, have more fines than Archbold which increases the available water capacity and is thought to be the reason for the distinct difference in vegetation between the two soils.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 4 inches (A horizon).