LOCATION BEJUCOS            PR
Established Series
Rev. RER; GRB
11/2004

BEJUCOS SERIES


The Bejucos series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on small valleys among limestone hills. They formed in moderately coarse material over finer-textured sediments. Near the type location, the mean annual precipitation is about 66 inches and the mean annual temperature is 77 degrees F. Slopes range from 2 to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, subactive, isohyperthermic Typic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bejucos sandy loam -- cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bw--9 to 13 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; strongly cemented; few fine iron concretions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)

Bt1--13 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm; slightly sticky, plastic; few fine roots; few fine iron concretions; few faint clay films on ped faces; strongly cemented; few medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--18 to 37 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; sticky, plastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium iron concretions; strongly cemented; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on ped faces; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

Bt3--37 to 70 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; sticky, plastic; weakly cementation; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; common fine iron concretions; common fine distinct red (2.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulations and pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons range from 19 to more than 60 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Noroeste SCD, Puerto Rico; approximately 2.0 miles south of the town of Isabela, about 2,800 feet east of kilometer marker 2.0 on P.R. Highway 112 on dirt road, and about 25 feet south of road.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum is more than 60 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid throughout.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 and 5, and chroma of 3 and 4. Texture is sandy loam or sandy clay loam.

The Bw horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is clay loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay.

The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is silty clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay.

COMPETING SERIES: This are no known series in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bejucos series are in small valleys between low limestone hills. Slopes range from 2 to 5 percent. They formed in regolith that consists of moderate coarse over finer-textured sediments. The climate is humid tropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 61 to 71 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 76 to 78 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This include the Coto, Maleza, and Tanama series. All of these soils have clayey control sections. Coto soils are on similar to higher positions, are kaolinitic, and are Oxisols. Maleza soils similar positions, are parasesquic, have redder subsoils, and are Oxisols. Tanama soils are on higher positions have redder subsoils, and are shallow to hard limestone.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid permeability in the surface horizons and moderate in the subsoil and substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Bejucos soils are planted to subsistence A few small areas are in sugarcane. The vegetation consists of native and introduced grasses, shrubs, and trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid northern coastal plains of Puerto Rico. The series is of minor extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Noroeste SCD, Puerto Rico.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon the zone from 0 to 9 inches (Ap horizon).

Argillic horizon the zone from 13 to 67 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).

This soil was formerly mapped in the Coto series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.