LOCATION BELDING MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Alfic Epiaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Belding fine sandy loam - on a south-facing slope of 1 percent in a forested area at an elevation of 955 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa--0 to 1 inch; black (7.5YR 2.5/1) well decomposed forest litter; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 1 inches thick)
A1--1 to 4 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A2--4 to 9 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) fine sandy loam, gray (7.5YR 6/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky parting to fine and medium granular structure; friable; many fine to very coarse roots; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
E--9 to 14 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bs1--14 to 19 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky parting to weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; many coarse distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; many coarse faint brown (7.5YR 4/2) iron depletions; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bs2--19 to 22 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sand; weak medium subangular blocky parting to weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; few fine prominent pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
2Bt--22 to 34 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine and fine roots; common fine faint brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films lining pores; many medium faint brown (7.5YR 4/3) silt coats on faces of peds; few medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; few medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/2) iron depletions; about 1 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)
2BCd--34 to 36 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine prominent light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coats; about 1 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
2Cd--36 to 80 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; massive; firm; common fine distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coats; about 1 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Ontonagon County, Michigan; about 3 miles east of the town of Greenland; 2400 feet south and 1885 feet east of the northwest corner of section 29, T. 51 N., R. 37 W. NAD83, UTM Zone 16N, 5183527 northing and 345053 easting.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction in the upper part of the solum ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid. Depth to the 2B horizons ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction in the lower part of the solum and substratum ranges from slightly acid to strongly alkaline. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 10 percent and cobble content from 0 to 5 percent throughout the profile. The depth to densic contact is 30 to 60 inches.
A, Ap horizons
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 to 4
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
E horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
Some pedons have a Bhs horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
Bs horizons
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sand
2Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam; silt loam, loam, or clay loam
2BCd horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam; silt loam, loam, or clay loam
2Cd horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam, silt loam, loam or clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Moodig,
Mudlake,
Parkfalls,
Pesabic and
Worwood series.
Moodig soils are coarser textured and acidic throughout.
Mudlake soils have a loess or silty alluvium cap and are acidic throughout.
Pesabic soils are underlain by dense till and are acidic throughout.
Worwood soils are loamy alluvium underlain by sandy outwash that is underlain by stratified lacustrine deposits.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Belding soils are on till plains and end moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent.
Mean annual precipitation ranges from 31 to 34 inches.
The mean annual temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Ubly,
Loggerhead,
Menominee,
Iosco and
Breckenridge soils.
The well drained Ubly, moderately well drained Loggerhead, and poorly drained Breckenridge soils are in a drainage sequence with Belding soils.
The moderately well drained Menominee and somewhat poorly drained Iosco soils have more sand in the solum.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained.
Surface runoff is low.
Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid above the 2B horizons and moderately slow in the 2Bt and 2BC horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested. The major species are sugar maple, red maple, green ash, quaking aspen, eastern hemlock, basswood, yellow birch, white spruce and balsam fir. Some areas are used for pasture, small grains, mixed hay or are idle.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Arenac County, Michigan, 1964.
REMARKS: Location has been changed from the lower peninsula of Michigan to the Upper Peninsula. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 9 inches (Oa, A horizons);
albic horizon - the zone from 9 to 14 inches (E horizon);
spodic horizon - the zone from 14 to 22 inches (Bs horizons);
argillic horizon - the zone from 22 to 34 inches (2Bt horizon)
aquic feature - redox depletions with chroma of 2 below 14 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to lab sample number S04MI-131-004 for Primary Characterization Data from NSSL, Lincoln, NE.