LOCATION BESSIE FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, euic, hyperthermic Terric Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Bessie muck in a mangrove tidal swamp. (Colors are for wet soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa--0 to 18 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) muck; massive; sticky; estimated 25 percent fiber unrubbed, 5 to 10 percent fiber, rubbed; estimated 60 percent mineral material; sodium pyrophosphate color pale brown (10YR 6/3); common fine and medium roots; moderately acid; pH 5.6 in 0.01M calcium chloride; gradual wavy boundary. (16 to 40 inches thick)
2C1--18 to 36 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay; massive; very sticky, very plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; soil flows easily between fingers when squeezed (n value = 1.039); few pockets of dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) muck; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 40 inches thick)
2C2--36 to 44 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay; common pockets of dark gray (10YR 4/1) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 40 inches thick)
3C1--44 to 65 inches; dark gray (N 4/0) fine sand; single grained; loose; common fine white (10YR 8/1) shell fragments, few whole shells; strongly effervescent; gradual wavy boundary; strongly alkaline.
3C2--65 to 80 inches; gray (N 5/0) fine sand; single grained; loose; few white (10YR 8/1) shell fragments; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Martin County, Florida; on Hutchinson Island approximately 2.0 miles south of the St. Lucie County line, about 300 feet west of FL. Highway A1A, and about 100 feet south of trail leading to Joe's Point.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the Oa horizon ranges from 16 to 40 inches, but is usually less than 30 inches. Soil reaction in the Oa horizon ranges from strongly acid to neutral in 0.01M calcium chloride. Reaction in the 2C horizon ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline, and from moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline in the 3C horizon.
The Oa horizon has hue from 5YR to 10YR, value of 2, and chroma of 1 or 2. This horizon is sapric and the content of fine mineral material ranges from 40 to 70 percent. Texture is muck.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR, value 2 to 4, and chroma 1 or 2. Pockets of organic material range from few to common. Pockets or lenses of coarser materials range from none to common. Texture is clay or sandy clay.
The 3C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 or 5. Shell fragments range from none to common. Texture is fine sand, loamy fine sand, or fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: The Allemands, Bellpass, and Clovelly series are in the same family. Allemands series are in fresh water environments and have less than 3 dS/m in the control section. Bellpass soils are in similar positions and have less 16 dS/m in the control section. Clovelly soils are in similar positions but have less than 8 dS/m in the control section
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bessie soils are in tidal mangrove swamps in protected salt water or brackish water areas along the Indian River, the Intracoastal Waterway, and coastal tributary streams. Slopes are less than 1 percent. They formed in marine deposits of organic material over clayey sediments. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 55 to 60 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 72 to 76 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Canaveral series. The somewhat poorly drained or moderately well drained Canaveral soils are on adjacent dune-like ridges and are sandy throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow or very slow permeability in the 2C horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bessie soils are primarily used for wildlife habitat. Native vegetation includes red mangrove, black mangrove, and white mangrove, bushy sea-oxeye, sea purslane, leather fern, and low growing succulents such as glasswort in the more open areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Atlantic Coast of southeastern Florida. The series is of small to moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Martin County, Florida; 1979.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Histic epipedon the zone from 0 to 18 inches (Oa horizon).
Terric feature the contact at 18 inches.
This series was formerly mapped as Tidal swamp; tidal swamp, mangrove; or tidal swamp, organic. It is known to occur in Palm Beach, Martin, and possibly Indian River Counties.
Fluctuating tides flood the surface daily or during seasonal storm tides.