LOCATION ARDILLA                 AL+FL GA

Established Series
Rev. GWH; SWA; GRB
11/2013

ARDILLA SERIES

The Ardilla series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately slowly permeable soils on uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A). They formed in loamy marine sediments and are saturated to near the surface in late winter and the spring. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is about 67 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 52 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Fragiaquic Paleudults

TYPICAL PEDON: Ardilla fine sandy loam, in an idle field (Colors are for moist soil).

Ap--0 to 4 inches very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

E--4 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; few fine roots and pores; common strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

BE--9 to 15 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; many fine and medium pores; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Bt--15 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; many medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) areas of iron depletions; common medium faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)

Btx1--30 to 38 inches; 35 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), 35 percent gray (10YR 6/1) and 30 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; few fine roots and pores; few faint clay films on vertical and horizontal surfaces of peds; few ironstone pebbles; about 45 percent of the area dominated by yellowish brown and strong brown colors are firm, brittle and compact; the areas of light gray are iron depletions and are friable; the areas of yellowish brown and strong brown are iron accumulations; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Btx2--38 to 65 inches; 25 percent red (2.5YR 4/6), 25 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), 25 percent light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4), and 25 percent gray (10YR 6/1) gravelly sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; few fine pores; few faint clay films on vertical and horizontal surfaces of peds; about 4 percent by volume, plinthite; about 10 percent, by volume, ironstone pebbles; the areas dominated by red and strong brown, about 50 percent of the area, are firm and brittle; the areas of red, strong brown and light yellowish brown are iron accumulations and the areas of light gray are iron depletions; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Houston County, Alabama. About 225 feet north of Madrid School and 60 feet east of road. SE1/4, NE1/4, SE1/4, SW1/4 of Sec. 24; T. 1 N., R. 26 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness exceeds 60 inches. Depth to the seasonal high water table is less than 18 inches. Except where the surface has been limed, the reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part of the solum and from very strongly acid to strongly acid in the lower part.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 4. Where the value and chroma are 3 or less, it is less than 7 inches thick. Texture is coarse sand, loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sandy loam or sandy loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Texture is coarse sand, loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sandy loam or sandy loam.

The BE or BA horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, red, brown or gray range from none to common. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 t0 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, red, brown or gray range from few to many. Texture is sandy loam or sandy clay loam.

The Btx horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value OF 4 to 6, and chroma OF 4 to 8; or there is no dominant color and is variegated in shades of red, brown yellow or gray. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, red, brown and gray range from common to many. Ironstone pebbles range up to 10 percent, by volume. Below a depth of about 30 inches, the percent of plinthite by volume ranges from 0 to about 4 percent, by volume. Brittleness by volume ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Some pedons have common to many 2 to 10 mm pockets of clean sand grains and most pedons have soft iron enriched spheroidal masses 1 to 5 mm in diameter. Texture is sandy clay loam or sandy clay.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Atlee, Cedarbluff, Eylau and Swafford series in the same family and the Clarendon, Robertsdale, and Saucier series in closely related families. Atlee and Eylau soils are moderately well drained. Cedarbluff soils formed in alluvium that derived from sandstone and shale in the Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valley (MLRA 128) and have more than 20 percent silt in the control section. The moderately well drained Swafford soils are in MLRA 128 and are subject to rare flooding. Clarendon, Robertsdale and Saucier soils have less than 40 percent brittleness in their profiles. In addition, Clarendon and Saucier are moderately well drained while Robertsdale soils have more than 20 percent silt in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ardilla soils are on level to gently sloping Coastal Plain uplands. They formed in thick beds of loamy marine sediments. The climate is humid subtropical. The median temperature ranges from 65 to 70 degrees F., and the medium rainfall ranges from 48 to 57 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the Robertsdale series, these include the Cowarts, Dothan, Dunbar, Escambia, Pansey, Plummer and Tifton series. The moderately well and well drained Cowarts soils are on more sloping higher positions, have sola less than 40 inches thick and have less than 5 percent, by volume, plinthite. The well drained Dothan and Tifton soils are on higher adjacent positions. Dunbar soils are on similar positions but have fine control sections. Escambia soils are on similar landforms, but have coarse-loamy control sections. The very poorly and poorly drained Pansey and Plummer soils are on lower adjacent positions. In addition, Plummer soils have surface and subsurface layers 40 to 80 inches in thickness and lacks plinthite.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of profile and moderately slow in the lower part.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Ardilla soils are in woodland that consists of loblolly pine, longleaf pine and slash pines along with scattered sweetgum and oaks. The understory consists of greenbrier, gallberry, wax myrtle and various grasses. Areas that have been cleared areas are primarily used for pasture, soybeans and corn. A few small areas are used for truck crops.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plains of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and possibly North Carolina and South Carolina.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Houston County, Alabama; 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 15 inches (Ap, E, and BE horizons).

Argillic horizon - the zone from 15 inches to 65 inches, or more (Bt, Btx1 and Btx2 horizons).

Fragipan character - the zone from approximately 30 inches to 65 inches, or more (Btx1 and Btx2 horizons).

The range of characteristics of the Btx horizons overlaps Fragiaquic (0 to 15 percent plinthite) and Plinthaquic (40 to 60 percent brittle) subgroups. Further studies are needed to clarify and determine true classification.

Ardilla soils are in MLRA 133A.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Layer Depth (IN) and Texture:
1) 0-9":SL,FSL; 2)0-9":LS,LFS,CS;
3)9-30":SCL,SL; 4)30-60":SCL,SC
Clay %: 1)4-17; 2)3-14; 3)18-35; 4)20-40
Liquid Limit: 1)0-20; 2)0-20; 3)20-40; 4)25-45
Plasticity Index: 1)NP-7; 2) NP-7; 3)4-15; 4)7-20
Moist Bulk Density (G/CM3): 1)1.30-1.70; 2)1.30-1.70; 3)1.40-1.60;
4)1.50-1.70
Permeability (IN/HR): 1)2.0-6.0; 2)6.0-20; 3)0.6-2.0; 4)0.2-0.6
Permeability (MIN/IN): 1)10-30; 2)3-10; 3)30-100; 4)100-300
Available Water Capacity: 1)0.10-0.15; 2)0.06-0.11; 3)0.10-0.14;
4)0.10-0.15
PH (H2O): 1) 4.5-6.0; 2) 4.5-6.0; 3) 4.5-6.0; 4) 4.5-5.5
Salinity (MMHOS/CM): 1)0; 2)0; 3)0; 4)0
CEC (ME/1000G): No Data Available
CaCO3: 1)0; 2)0; 3)0; 4)0
Organic Matter (%): 1) 0.5-2; 2)0.5-1; 3)0-0.5; 4)0
Shrink Swell Potential: 1)low; 2)Low; 3)Low; 4)Low
Corrosivity of Steel: 1)High; 2)High; 3)High; 4)High
Corrosivity of Concrete: 1)High; 2)High; 3)High; 4)High
Unified Classification: 1)SM,SC-SM; 2)SM,SP-SM,SC-SM; 3)SM,SC-SM,SC;
4)SM,SC
AASHTO Classification: 1)A-2-4; 2)A-2-4,A-1; 3)A-2-4,A-2-6;
4)A-4,A-6,A-5,A-7

The following laboratory characterization data are available on the NSSL web site: 65NC10100.

Laboratory data is available on the National Soil Survey website at: http://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov/querypage.aspx

Laboratory data was provided by the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE (sampled by Beltsville, MD).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.