LOCATION AMNICON WI+MN MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, mixed, active, frigid Oxyaquic Vertic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Amnicon silty clay loam, on a plain, southwest facing slope of 2 percent, in an area of mixed conifer and northern hardwoods, at an elevation of about 204 meters above sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 centimeters; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silty clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
E--5 to 13 centimeters; brown (7.5YR 4/2) silty clay loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) dry; moderate thick platy structure; friable; many fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; about 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
E/B--13 to 25 centimeters; about 70 percent brown (7.5YR 4/2) silty clay loam (E), pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) dry; moderate thick platy structure; friable; extends as tongues into and surrounds remnants of reddish brown (5YR 4/4) silty clay (Bt); strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many fine and common medium roots; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
B/E--25 to 41 centimeters; about 80 percent reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay (Bt); strong medium angular blocky structure; common distinct reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; penetrated by tongues of reddish brown (5YR 5/3) silty clay (E), pink (5YR 7/3) dry; strong medium angular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bt--41 to 61 centimeters; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay; moderate fine and very fine angular blocky structure; firm; common fine and few medium and coarse roots between peds; common faint reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Btk1--61 to 79 centimeters; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay; moderate fine and very fine angular blocky structure; firm; common fine and few medium roots between peds; common faint reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine and medium irregular distinct light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) soft masses of calcium carbonate; common very fine and fine irregular prominent black (N 2.5/0) soft masses of iron-manganese oxides; strongly effervescent (11 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Btk2--79 to 109 centimeters; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm; few fine roots between peds; common faint reddish brown (2.5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine and medium irregular faint light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) soft masses of calcium carbonate; common very fine and fine irregular prominent black (N 2.5/0) soft masses of iron-manganese oxides; violently effervescent (16 percent calcium carbonate); about 1 percent gravel; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
BCk--109 to 170 centimeters; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay; massive; firm; common fine and medium irregular faint light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) soft masses of calcium carbonate; common very fine and fine irregular prominent black (N 2.5/0) soft masses of iron-manganese oxides; violently effervescent (13 percent calcium carbonate); about 1 percent gravel; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 92- Douglas County, Wisconsin; about 1 mile east of Oliver; located about 1,600 feet south and 420 feet west of the northeast corner of section 7, T. 48 N., R. 14 W.; West Duluth (Wisconsin-Minnesota) topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 39 minutes 30 seconds N. and long. 92 degrees 09 minutes 46 seconds W., NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to carbonates--50 to 100 centimeters
Clay content of the particle-size control section (weighted average)--60 to 90 percent
Sand content of the particle-size control section (weighted average)--2 to 25 percent
A horizon:
Hue--5YR or 7.5YR
Value--2 to 4
Chroma--1 or 2
Texturesilty clay loam
Clay content--27 to 35 percent
Sand content--5 to 20 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Reaction--pH 4.5 to 7.3
Thickness--5 to 10 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
Ap horizon (when present):
Hue5YR or 7.5YR
Value3 or 4
Chroma2 or 3
Texturesilty clay loam
Clay content--27 to 35 percent
Sand content--5 to 20 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Reaction--pH 4.5 to 7.3
Thickness--0 to 25 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
E horizon:
Hue--5YR or 7.5YR
Value--4 to 6
Chroma--2 or 3, moist colors of 4/3 or 5/3 have value of 7 or more, dry
Texture--loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay
Clay content--25 to 45 percent
Sand content--5 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Reaction--pH 4.5 to 6.5
Thickness--0 to 10 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
E part of the E/B and B/E horizons:
Hue--5YR or 7.5YR
Value--4 to 6
Chroma--2 or 3, moist colors of 4/3 or 5/3 have value of 7 or more, dry
Texture--loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay content--25 to 45 percent
Sand content--5 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Calcium carbonate equivalent--0 to 5 percent
Reaction--pH 4.5 to 7.3
Thickness of the glossic horizon--5 to 65 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
Bt part of the E/B and B/E horizons:
Hue--2.5YR or 5YR
Value--3 or 4
Chroma--4 to 6
Texture--silty clay or clay
Clay content--40 to 80 percent
Sand content--5 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Calcium carbonate equivalent--0 to 15 percent
Reaction--pH 4.5 to 7.8
Thickness of the glossic horizon--5 to 65 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
Bt horizon:
Hue--2.5YR or 5YR
Value--3 or 4
Chroma--4 to 6
Texture--clay
Clay content--50 to 90 percent
Sand content--2 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Calcium carbonate equivalent--0 to 15 percent
Reaction--pH 6.6 to 7.8
Thickness--0 to 40 centimeters
Some pedons have subhorizons with texture of silty clay
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
Btk horizon:
Hue--2.5YR or 5YR
Value--3 to 5
Chroma--4 to 6
Texture--clay
Clay content--50 to 90 percent
Sand content--2 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Calcium carbonate equivalent--10 to 25 percent
Reaction--pH 7.4 to 9.0
Thickness--35 to 100 centimeters
Some pedons have subhorizons with texture of silty clay
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
BC (when present), BCk, or C (when present) horizon:
Hue--2.5YR or 5YR
Value--3 to 5
Chroma--4
Texture--clay or silty clay
Clay content--40 to 80 percent
Sand content--2 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--0 to 6 percent, gravel; 0 to 2 percent, cobbles; all mixed lithology
Calcium carbonate equivalent--5 to 20 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 9.0
Thickness--0 to 100 centimeters
Some pedons have thin mudflow lenses or remnant discontinuous disoriented varves
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Anton series.
Anton--have a sand content of more than 40 percent in the lower third of the series control section
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material--clayey till
Landform--knolls and side slopes on ground moraines
Slope--0 to 15 percent
Elevation--185 to 425 meters above sea level
Mean annual air temperature--4 to 6 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation--685 to 940 millimeters
Frost-free period--125 to 190 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Anton,
Bergland,
Borea,
Cuttre,
Miskoaki, and
Superior soils.
Anton--are on landscape positions similar to those of the Amnicon soils and have a sand content of more than 40 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Bergland--are on lower landscape positions on nearly level areas and in depressions and are frequently saturated from the surface of the soil to a depth of 0.3 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Borea--are on slightly lower landscape positions and have a frequently saturated zone between depths of 0.15 and 0.45 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Cuttre--are on slightly lower landscape positions and have a frequently saturated zone between depths of 0.15 and 0.6 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Miskoaki--are on higher landscape positions and do not have a frequently saturated zone within a depth of 1.8 meters during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Superior--are on landscape positions similar to those of the Amnicon soils and have a clay content that averages 10 to 18 percent in the upper half of the particle-size control section
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--moderately well drained--a frequently saturated zone occurs between depths of 0.3 and 1.0 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation, this saturation is considered perched
Saturated hydraulic conductivity--0.00 to 10.00 micrometers per second
USE AND VEGETATION:
Most areas are forested. Some areas are cultivated or pastured. The principal crops are oats, bromegrass, timothy, alfalfa, trefoil, and red clover. Many areas which were formally cultivated are now idle and are reverting to natural vegetation. The native vegetation is mixed coniferous and deciduous forest. Common trees are red maple, balsam fir, white spruce, white pine, quaking aspen, paper birch, and bur oak. Common understory vegetation includes American hazel, redosier dogwood, black snakeroot, big leaf aster, wild sarsaparilla, and bracken fern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Physiographic division--Laurentian Upland
Physiographic Province--Superior Upland
MLRA--Superior Lake Plain (92)
LRR K; northern Wisconsin, northeastern Minnesota, and Upper Peninsula of Michigan along Lake Superior
Extent--moderate
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota; MLRA SSO 10-4 (Duluth, Minnesota).
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Wisconsin, 1995.
REMARKS:
Particle size control section--the zone from a depth of 25 to 75 centimeters;
series control section--the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 170 centimeters.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface to a depth of 25 centimeters (A, E and E/B horizons);
albic horizon--the zone from a depth of 5 to 13 centimeters (E horizon);
glossic horizon--the zone from a depth of 13 to 41 centimeters (E/B and B/E horizons);
argillic horizon--the zone from a depth of 25 to 109 centimeters (B/E, Bt, Btk1, and Btk2 horizons);
udic moisture regime.
Vertic subgroup--linear extensibility of 6 centimeters or more in the upper 100 centimeters
Oxyaquic subgroup--saturation within 100 centimeters for 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
The intense reddish colors inherent in the parent material often mask the redoximorphic features and make taxonomic classification difficult. Water table studies in this soil (and its associated soils) were used to classify this series.
Cation-exchange activity class is supported by laboratory data (NSSL).
Taxonomy version--Keys to Soil Taxonomy, tenth edition, 2006.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory data--National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska-user pedonids 90WI031015 and 92WI007005 (http://ssldata.sc.egov.usda.gov/).