LOCATION BAMFIELD                MI

Established Series
Rev. DSJ-TEW-MLK
08/2012

BAMFIELD SERIES


The Bamfield series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loamy till on ground moraines and disintegration moraines. Slope ranges from 12 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C (44 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Haplic Glossudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bamfield fine sandy loam, on a northeast-facing, 34 percent slope in a wooded area at an elevation of 317 meters (1,040 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oe--0 to 2.5 cm (1 inch); partially decomposed forest litter; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--2.5 to 15 cm (1 to 6 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine roots; about 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [8 to 18 cm (3 to 7 inches) thick]

Bw--15 to 28 cm (6 to 11 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; about 5 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 28 cm (11 inches) thick]

E--28 to 46 cm (11 to 18 inches); pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) fine sandy loam; massive; firm; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly brittle; about 5 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]

B/E--46 to 53 cm (18 to 21 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular structure; firm; few faint dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; occupies about 80 percent of the horizon surrounded by pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) fine sandy loam (E); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; about 5 percent gravel; slightly brittle; moderately acid; clear irregular boundary. [8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) thick]

Bt1--53 to 69 cm (21 to 27 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam; strong fine angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many faint dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt irregular boundary.

Bt2--69 to 79 cm (27 to 31 inches); reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common faint reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay films on vertical faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 10 to 53 cm (4 to 21 inches).]

BC--79 to 203 cm (31 to 80 inches); light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; many pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) calcium carbonate coatings on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Alcona County, Michigan; about 1.5 miles north of the village of Glennie; 2,580 feet south and 500 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 9, T. 25 N., R. 6 E., Curtis Township; USGS Glennie, Michigan topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 34 minutes 43.70 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 43 minutes 33.63 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to carbonates: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Rock fragment content: 1 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 4 percent cobbles throughout the profile; total rock fragment content ranges from 1 to 15 percent in the series control section

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 3
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Ap horizon, where present:
Thickness: 15 to 23 cm (6 to 9 inches)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3
Chroma: 1 to 3

E horizon, where present immediately below an A horizon:
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loamy fine sand
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

E or E' horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand
Consistence: may be firm when moist and hard when dry, and may have some brittleness
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately acid

Bt part of the B/E horizon and the Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: clay loam or sandy clay loam in the upper part and includes loam in the lower part
Clay content of the Bt1 horizon: 27 to 35 percent clay and 30 and 40 percent fine sand or coarser
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately alkaline

E part of the B/E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately alkaline

Some pedons have an E/B horizon.

BC horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: clay loam, loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Reaction: moderately alkaline

C horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: dominantly loam but ranges to clay loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Reaction: moderately alkaline

A sandy substratum phase is recognized.
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 to 5
Texture: sand or loamy sand, or the gravelly analogues of these textures
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Mossback, Neckrock, Pecore, and Tilleda series. Mossback soils have less than 27 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Neckrock soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Pecore soils are sandy and gravelly within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Tilleda soils are deeper than 102 cm (40 inches) to carbonates.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bamfield soils are on ground moraines and disintegration moraines. Slope ranges from 12 to 70 percent. The Bamfield soils formed in loamy till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 686 to 813 mm (27 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature is 6 or 7 degrees C (43 to 45 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Glennie, Lupton, Hottis, Nester and Ossineke soils. The moderately well drained Glennie soils and well drained Hottis soils are on nearby till plains and moraines. The moderately well drained Nester and Ossineke soils are on the same landforms as the Bamfield soils on the less sloping areas. The Glennie soils have fragipans and contain less clay in the argillic horizon. The Hottis and Nester soils contain more clay in the argillic horizon. The very poorly drained Lupton soils are in closed depressions on moraines.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is medium to very high depending on slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to low. Permeability is moderately slow to very slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: A major portion of the soil is woodland or forested. Tree species include sugar maple, northern red oak, American basswood, bigtooth aspen, paper birch, American beech, white ash, and eastern hemlock. Other areas are used as cropland and pastureland. The common crops include hay, alfalfa, and occasionally corn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 94A and 96 in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alcona County, Michigan, 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (11 inches) (Oe, A, Bw horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 46 cm (11 to 18 inches) (E horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 46 to 79 cm (18 to 31 inches) (Bt part of the B/E, Bt1,Bt2 horizons).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 46 to 53 cm (18 to 21 inches) (B/E horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: For laboratory data on representative pedon see Michigan Technological University No. 89MI-001-002.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.