LOCATION BUCK AK
Established Series
MPS
01/2025
BUCK SERIES
Depth class: deep to paralithic bedrock
Drainage class: well drained
Parent material: ash influenced loamy cryoturbate over gravelly loamy colluvium over residuum weathered from graywacke
Landscape: hills
Landform: low ridges
Slope: 5 to 50 percent
Mean annual precipitation: about 400 mm (16 in)
Mean annual air temperature: about -3 degrees C. (27 degrees F.)
Frost-free period: 75 to 90 days
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Andic Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Buck channery medial silt loam in a white spruce woodland with lichen and shrub understory community on a north facing convex, linear shoulder on a slope of 18 percent at an elevation of 354m (1160 ft).
Oi--0 to 2 cm (0 to 1 in); slightly decomposed plant material; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) broken face dry; many very fine and fine roots throughout; extremely acid (pH 4.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 10 cm, 0.5 to 4 in thick)
A--2 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in); channery medial silt loam; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) broken face dry; weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak very fine granular structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; 16 percent channers; extremely acid (pH 4.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 16 cm, 0.5 to 6 in thick)
Ajj--4 to 22 cm (2 to 9 in); channery medial silt loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face moist, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine dendritic tubular pores; 30 percent channers; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear irregular boundary. (13 to 33 cm, 5 to 13 in thick)
Bhsjj--22 to 24 cm (9 to 10 in); channery medial silt loam; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) broken face moist, brown (7.5YR 5/2) broken face dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine dendritic tubular pores; 30 percent channers; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear broken boundary. (1 to 5 cm, 0.5 to 2 in thick)
2C1--24 to 80 cm (10 to 32 in); very channery silt loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face moist, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face dry; 2 percent very fine distinct irregular brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; massive; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; moderately few very fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; 40 percent channers; strongly acid (pH 5.2); gradual smooth boundary. (40 to 60 cm, 16 to 24 in thick)
2C2--80 to 125 cm (32 to 49 in); extremely channery sandy loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; 61 percent channers; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. (25 to 50 cm, 10 to 20 in thick)
3Cr--125 to 150 cm (49 to 59 in); moderately coherent graywacke bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Nulato Hills - Continental Divide and Blackburn Hills Soil Survey Area, Alaska; latitude 64.3508333, longitude -159.9409444, datum WGS84, UTM north 454555.59 and UTM east 7136445.80, zone 4, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: udic
Soil temperature regime: cryic
Mean annual soil temperature: 0 to 3 degrees C. (32 to 37 degrees F.)
Thickness of organic material: 1 to 10 cm (0.5 to 4 in)
Thickness of umbric epipedon: 18 to 35 cm (7 to 14 in)
Thickness of cryoturbation: 14 to 34 cm (6 to 13 in)
Thickness of andic soil properties: 18 to 35 cm (7 to 14 in)
Thickness of spodic materials: 1 to 5 cm (0.5 to 2 in)
Depth to paralithic contact: 100 to 150 cm (39 to 59 in)
Oi horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 2 to 5 moist, 4 to 7 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: slightly decomposed material
Organic matter: 60 to 90 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to very strongly acid (pH 3.5 to 5)
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 2 to 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: medial silt loam or their channery analogues
Sand: 10 to 45 percent
Silt: 50 to 80 percent
Clay: 2 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Bulk density: 0.5 to 1.0 g/cm3
Al plus 1/2 Fe: 1 to 4 percent
Volcanic glass content: 0 to 20 percent
Phosphorous retention: 85 to 100 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to strongly acid (pH 3.5 to 5.5)
Ajj horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 2 to 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: medial silt loam, medial sandy loam or their channery analogues
Sand: 10 to 65 percent
Silt: 19 to 80 percent
Clay: 3 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 34 percent
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Bulk density: 0.5 to 1.0 g/cm3
Al plus 1/2 Fe: 1 to 4 percent
Volcanic glass content: 0 to 20 percent
Phosphorous retention: 85 to 100 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to strongly acid (pH 3.5 to 5.5)
Bhsjj horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 2 to 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: medial silt loam or their channery analogues
Sand: 12 to 45 percent
Silt: 50 to 80 percent
Clay: 2 to 8 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 34 percent
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Bulk density: 0.5 to 1.0 g/cm3
Al plus 1/2 Fe: 1 to 4 percent
Volcanic glass content: 0 to 20 percent
Phosphorous retention: 85 to 100 percent
Reaction class: extremely acid to strongly acid (pH 3.5 to 5.5)
2C1 horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam, sandy loam or their channery analogues
Sand: 20 to 75 percent
Silt: 8 to 77 percent
Clay: 3 to 17 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent
Organic matter: 0.2 to 3 percent
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid (pH 4.5 to 6)
2C2 horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam, loam or their channery analogues
Sand: 30 to 75 percent
Silt: 5 to 50 percent
Clay: 3 to 24 percent
Rock fragments: 40 to 85 percent
Organic matter: 0.2 to 3 percent
Reaction class: very strongly acid to moderately acid (pH 4.5 to 6)
3Cr horizon:
Extremely weakly to moderately coherent graywacke bedrock
Some pedons have a cambic horizon below the umbric epipedon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation: 125 to 400 meters (410 to 1315 feet)
Parent material: ash influenced loamy cryoturbate over gravelly loamy colluvium over residuum weathered from graywacke
Landform: low ridges
Slope: 5 to 50 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 400 to 500 mm (16 to 20 in)
Mean annual air temperature: -5 to -1 degrees C. (23 to 30 degrees F.)
Frost free period: 75 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Agitchuk, Diamondcreek,
Iyyagrik,
Kanik,
Kiuriruk,
Niakuk,
Tuttu, and
Uniat soils.
Agitchuk soils lack a paralithic contact within 200 cm (79 in), have aquic conditions starting between 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in), have a reduced matrix starting within 40 cm (16 in), have a histic epipedon, have a cambic horizon, lack andic soil properties, lack spodic materials, have a coarse-loamy particle size class, have a gelic soil temperature regime, and occur on mountainbases and toeslopes
Diamondcreek soils lack a paralithic contact within 200 cm (79 in), have aquic conditions starting between 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in), have a reduced matrix starting within 45 cm (18 in),
have a cambic horizon, lacks cryoturbation, lacks andic soil properties, lacks spodic materials, have a coarse-loamy particle size class, have a gelic soil temperature regime, and occur on swales on nose slopes
Iyyagrik soils have a lithic contact at depths between 100 to 150 cm (39 to 59 in), have a mollic epipedon, lack andic soil properties, lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, and occur on mountainflanks, upper third
Kanik soils have a lithic contact at depths between 100 to 150 cm (39 to 59 in), have a fragmental layer starting at depths between 66 to 100 cm (26 to 39 in), have an ochric epipedon, lack andic soil properties, lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, have a gelic soil temperature regime, and occur on mountainflanks, upper and center thirds
Kiuriruk soils have permafrost, lack a paralithic contact within 200 cm (79 in), have aquic conditions starting between 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in), have a reduced matrix starting within 45 cm (18 in), have a histic epipedon, lack andic soil properties, lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, have a coarse-silty particle size class, have a gelic soil temperature regime, and occur on terraces
Niakuk soils have a lithic contact at depths between 100 to 150 cm (39 to 59 in), have a fragmental layer starting at depths between 20 to 73 cm (26 to 39 in), have an ochric epipedon, have a cambic horizon, lack andic soil properties, lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, have a coarse-loamy over fragmental particle size class, and occur on mountainflanks, upper and center thirds
Tuttu soils lack a paralithic contact within 200 cm (79 in), lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, have a coarse-loamy particle size class, have a gelic soil temperature regime, and occur on backslopes, footslopes, and mountainflanks, lower third
Uniat soils have a lithic contact at depths between 100 to 150 cm (39 to 59 in), have a fragmental layer starting at depths between 10 to 91 cm (4 to 36 in), have an ochric epipedon, have a cambic horizon, lack andic soil properties, lack cryoturbation, lack spodic materials, have a fragmental particle size class, and occur on mounds in valleys, mountaintops, and mountainflanks, upper third
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class: well drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: very high in the Oi horizon, moderately high to high in the A, Ajj, Bhsjj, and 2C1 horizons, and moderately high in the 2C2 horizon
Permeability: rapid to very rapid in the Oi horizon, moderate to moderately rapid in the A and Bhsjj horizons, moderate to rapid in the Ajj and 2C1 horizons, and slow to moderate in the 2C2 horizon
Runoff: medium
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use: wildlife habitat, recreation, and subsistence
Native vegetation: star reindeer lichen, bog blueberry, black crowberry, reindeer lichen, marsh Labrador tea, Cladina mitis, smallawned sedge, tealeaf willow, dwarf birch, white spruce, Altai fescue, Flavocetraria cucullata, lingonberry, cup lichen, Schreber's big red stem moss, alpine sweetgrass, alpine azalea, arctic sweet coltsfoot, island cetraria lichen, cetraria lichen, snow lichen, polytrichum moss
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 240, Nulato Hills-Southern Seward Peninsula Highlands. The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Wasilla, Alaska
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nulato Hills - Continental Divide and Blackburn Hills Soil Survey, Alaska, 2024.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile include:
Particle-size control section: 27 to 102 cm (11 to 40 in)
Umbric epipedon: 2 to 24 cm (1 to 10 in) (A, Ajj, and Bhsjj horizons)
Andic soil properties: 2 to 24 cm (1 to 10 in) (A, Ajj, and Bhsjj horizons)
Cryoturbation: 4 to 24 cm (2 to 10 in) (Ajj and Bhsjj horizons)
Spodic materials: 22 to 24 cm (9 to 10 in) (Bhsjj horizon)
Lithologic discontinuity: 24 to 125 cm (10 to 49 in) (2C1 and 2C2 horizons)
Paralithic materials: 125 to 150 cm (49 to 59 in) (3Cr horizon)
Lithologic discontinuity: 125 to 150 cm (49 to 59 in) (3Cr horizon)
Paralithic contact: 125 to 150 cm (49 to 59 in) (3Cr horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
User pedon ID: 2021AK290743
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.