LOCATION BISCOE NCTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, siliceous, subactive, thermic Aeric Epiaquults
TYPICAL PEDON: Biscoe silt loam (in an area of Biscoe-Secrest complex, 2 to 6 percent slopes), on a concave 2 percent slope in a cut-over area newly planted to loblolly pine. (Colors are for moist soil, unless otherwise indicated)
A--0 to 7 centimeters (about 0 to 3 inches); black (2.5Y 2.5/1) silt loam; moderate very thick platy parting to weak fine angular blocky structure; friable; nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and medium roots and common coarse roots throughout; 2 percent fine subrounded quartz gravel; very strongly acid, pH 4.5, Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 15 centimeters thick, about 0 to 6 inches)
BE--7 to 20 centimeters (about 3 to 8 inches); pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) silt loam; moderate very thick platy parting to weak fine angular blocky structure; friable; nonsticky, slightly plastic; many fine and medium and common coarse roots throughout; few fine and medium tubular pores; 5 percent medium faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) iron depletions; 25 percent medium and coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent fine subrounded quartz gravel; positive reaction to alpha,alpha-dipyridyl; very strongly acid, pH 5.0, Hellige-Truog; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 18 centimeters thick, about 0 to 7 inches)
Bt--20 to 53 centimeters (about 8 to 21 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; few fine and medium tubular pores; 10 percent medium and coarse distinct light gray (2.5Y 7/1) iron depletions; 10 percent medium and coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and 10 percent medium and coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; 5 percent faint clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent fine subrounded quartz gravel; very strongly acid, pH 5.0, Hellige-Truog; gradual wavy boundary. (23 to 58 centimeters thick, about 9 to 23 inches)
Btg--53 to 58 centimeters (about 21 to 23 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; firm; moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots between peds; 10 percent coarse distinct light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) and 2 percent medium prominent light red (2.5YR 6/6) masses of oxidized iron; 10 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent fine subrounded quartz gravel; very strongly acid, pH 5.0, Hellige-Truog; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 33 centimeters thick, about 0 to 13 inches)
Cr--58 to 104 centimeters (about 23 to 41 inches); soft argillite; fractured at intervals of 10 to 45 centimeters (about 4 to 18 inches); moderately cemented; high excavation difficulty; few widely spaced seams of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay in cracks; abrupt smooth boundary.
R--104 centimeters (about 41 inches); hard argillite; fractured at intervals of 45 to more than 100 centimeters (about 18 to 39 inches); strongly cemented; very high excavation difficulty.
TYPE LOCATION: Montgomery County, North Carolina; about 4.0 miles south of Troy on Secondary Road 1005; 122 meters (about 400 feet) north of the intersection with Secondary Road 1549 on Secondary Road 1005; 244 meters (about 800 feet) west of road in cut-over. USGS Troy, NC topographic quadrangle; latitude 35 degrees 18 minutes and 17.4 seconds N. and longitude 79 degrees 53 minutes 55.8 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to top of argillic horizon: 13 to 36 centimeters (about 5 to 14 inches)
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 45 to 96 centimeters (about 18 to 38 inches)
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) to soft bedrock and more than 100 centimeters (40 inches) to hard bedrock
Depth to seasonal high water table: 15 to 46 centimeters (about 6 to 18 inches) (perched) for 3 to 5 months (November to March)
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 25 percent, by volume argillite paragravel or parachanners or quartz gravel in the A, E, and B horizons and 0 to 30 percent in the C horizon
Soil Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout, unless limed.
Effective Cation Exchange Capacity: 5 to 20 milliequivalents per 100 grams of soil in the A horizon; 3 to 10 in E and B horizons; and 5 to 15 in the C horizon
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A horizon or Ap horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y value of 2 to 5 (value of 6, if cultivated), chroma of 1 to 5
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt, silt loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 27 percent
E horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 or 4 (value of 8 and chroma of 1 or 2 if lithochromic)
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt, silt loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 27 percent
Mottles (where present)--non-redoximorphic in shades black, dark gray, or brown (primarily mixed surface material)
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Eg horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y value of 5 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt, silt loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 27 percent
Mottles (where present)--non-redoximorphic in shades black, dark gray, or brown (primarily mixed surface material)
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BE horizon or EB, AB, or BA horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)silt loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BEg, EBg, ABg, or BAg horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Texture (fine-earth fraction)silt loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Bt horizon (upper part):
Color--hue of 2.5Y (10YR hue allowed where a positive reaction with
alpha,alpha-dipyridyl occurs within 50 centimeters of the surface), value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Bt horizon (lower part):
Color--hue of 2.5Y or 5Y (10YR hue allowed where a positive reaction with alpha,alpha-dipyridyl occurs within 50 centimeters of the surface), value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, clay, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 18 to 50 percent
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Btg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, clay, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 18 to 50 percent
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BCtg, BCg, or Btg/C horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 6 or 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 12 to 35 percent
Mottles (where present)--lithochromic in shades of white or pale yellow
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BC, BCt, Bt/C or B/C horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 8, chroma of 3 to 6
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 12 to 35 percent
Mottles (where present)--lithochromic in shades of white or pale yellow
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
C horizon, CB horizon, C/B horizon, or C/Bt horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 8 chroma of 3 or 4
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 7 to 35 percent
Mottles (where present)--lithochromic in shades of white or pale yellow
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Cg horizon or CBg horizon (where present):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 6 or 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Clay content: 00 to 00 percent
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 7 to 35 percent
Mottles (where present)--lithochromic in shades of white or pale yellow
Redoximorphic features (where present)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron or iron-manganese masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Cr horizon:
Bedrock kind--soft Carolina slate (dominantly argillite)
Bedrock hardness--extremely weakly cemented to moderately cemented
Fracture interval--greater than 10 centimeters (4 inches)
Excavation difficulty--low to high
R horizon:
Bedrock kind--hard Carolina slate (dominantly argillite)
Bedrock hardness--strongly cemented to indurated
Fracture interval--greater than 10 centimeters (4 inches)
Excavation difficulty--very high or extremely high
COMPETING SERIES:
Mandale soils--soft or hard bedrock at a depth of more than 150 centimeters (60 inches)
Secrest soils--soft bedrock at a depth between 100 and 150 centimeters (39 and 59 inches)
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation (type location): 90 to 245 meters (about 300 to 800 feet)
Frost Free Period: 180 to 240 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C. (about 57 to 63 degrees F.)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1100 to 1300 millimeters (about 43 to 51 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Alamance soils--well drained and very deep; on higher landforms
Badin soils--well drained and fine-textured; on higher landforms
Callison soils--moderately well drained and are moderately deep to soft bedrock; on slightly higher landforms
Cid soils--moderately well drained, finer-textured, and are moderately deep to hard bedrock; on slightly higher landforms
Georgeville soils--well drained and fine-textured; on higher landforms
Goldston soils--well to excessively drained, are shallow to soft bedrock, and are loamy skeletal; on higher landforms
Gundy soils--well drained, are fine-textured, and have higher base-saturation; on higher landforms
Herndon soils--well drained and fine-textured; on higher landforms
Kirksey soils--moderately well drained and are deep to hard bedrock; on slightly higher landforms
Lignum soils--somewhat poorly or moderately well drained and fine-textured; on slightly higher landforms
Mandale soils--very deep to bedrock; on the same landforms
Misenheimer soils--somewhat poorly or moderately well drained are loamy and are shallow to soft bedrock; on slightly higher landforms
Montonia soils--well drained, moderately deep to soft bedrock, loamy soils; on higher landforms
Nanford soils--well drained, fine-textured, and deep to soft bedrock; on higher landforms
Pageland soils--moderately well drained, are moderately deep to soft bedrock, and have higher base saturation; on slightly higher landforms
Secrest soils--moderately well drained and somewhat poorly drained and deep to soft bedrock; on similar landforms
Tarrus soils--well drained, fine-textured, and deep to soft bedrock; on higher landforms
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Depth class: Moderately deep to soft bedrock
Drainage class (Agricultural): Somewhat poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very shallow or shallow (perched)
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None or very rare for brief periods
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high or moderately low (0.42 to 4.23 micrometers per second)
Permeability: Moderately slow or slow
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Dominantly forested with cleared areas primarily in pasture and a very small acreage in cropland
Vegetation: Mixed hardwoods and pine
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: The slate belt of the Piedmont of North Carolina and possibly South Carolina
Extent: Moderate
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES PROPOSED: Montgomery County, North Carolina; 2007.
REMARKS: Biscoe soils were originally proposed under the name Callistone soils. Because of the similarity to the Callison series name, the name was changed. Biscoe soils were formerly included with Callison and Cid soils in mapping. Callison and Cid soils are moderately well drained and Cid soils have a fine particle-size control section and are deep to hard bedrock.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 20
centimeters (about 0 to 8 inches) (A and BE horizons)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 20 to 58 centimeters (about 8 to 23 inches) (Bt and Btg horizons)
Aquic conditions--periodic saturation and reduction within 7 to 58 centimeters (about 3 to 23 inches) of the surface, and one or more unsaturated layers within 200 centimeters ( about 79 inches) of the surface, occurring below the periodically saturated zone (episaturation)
Redox concentrations--the zone from 7 to 58 centimeters (about 3 to 23 inches)
Redox depletions with chroma 2 or less--the zone from 7 to 58 centimeters (about 3 to 23 inches)
Paralithic contact--soft bedrock contact at a depth of 58 centimeters (about 23 inches)
Paralithic materials--the zone from 58 to 104 centimeters (about 23 to 41 inches) (Cr layer)
Hard bedrock--bedrock contact at a depth of 104 centimeters (about 41 inches) (R layer)
Series control section--the zone from 0 to 104 centimeters (about 0 to 41 inches)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data are not available at this time. Sampling is planned in the near future.
Database Information:
Data Mapunit ID--To be completed
User Pedon ID--To be completed