LOCATION BENONA MI
Established Series
Rev. JKC-WEF-MLK
08/2012
BENONA SERIES
The Benona series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils formed in sandy deposits on moraines, outwash plains, and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 787 mm (31 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.3 degrees C (47 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Lamellic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Benona sand, on a 4 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 cm (8 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 3 percent gravel; very strongly acid; smooth boundary. [0 to 23 cm (9 inches) thick]
Bs1--20 to 41 cm (8 to 16 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bs2--41 to 61 cm (16 to 24 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; single grain; loose; about 3 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bs horizon is 20 to 56 cm (8 to 22 inches).]
Bs3--61 to 117 cm (24 to 46 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand; single grain; loose; about 2 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 76 cm (30 inches) thick]
E and Bt--117 to 152 cm (46 to 60 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand (E); single grain; loose; thin discontinuous strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand lamella (Bt) 2 to 3 mm (1/16 to 1/8 inches) thick; accumulation of lamellae is less than 15 cm (6 inches); weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 2 percent gravel; moderately acid. [38 to 66 cm (15 to 26 inches) thick]
TYPE LOCATION: Oceana County, Michigan about 2.5 miles southeast of the village of Hart; 1340 feet east and 660 feet south of the center of sec. 34, T. 15 N., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 127 to 152 cm (50 to more than 60 inches):
Depth to the first lamellae: 86 to 140 cm (34 to 55 inches)
Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 to 4
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: dominantly sand, or less commonly fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
A horizon, where present:
Thickness: (1 to 4 inches)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 to 4
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: dominantly sand, or less commonly fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: extremely acid to moderately acid
E horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: dominantly sand, or less commonly fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: extremely acid to moderately acid
Bs1 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma of 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Bs2 and Bs3 horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid
Bw horizon, where present:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma:4 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
E part of the E and Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
Some pedons have an E horizon above the E and Bt horizon with colors and textures similar to the E part of the E and Bt horizon.
B part of the E and Bt horizon:
Thickness: B part occurs as lamella 2 to 6 mm (1/16 to 1/4 inch) thick
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar soils in related families are the
Benzonia series. Benzonia soils have a Bhs horizon and are in the isotic mineralogy family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Benona soils are on moraines, outwash plains, and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 70 percent. The Benona soils formed in sandy deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 813 mm (28 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 6.7 to 8.9 degrees C (44 to 48 degrees F).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Grattan,
Plainfield, and
Spinks soils, which occupy similar landscape positions. The Grattan and Plainfield soils do not have lamella, and the Spinks soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Excessively drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium depending on slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in cropland with some in woodland. Native vegetation is eastern white pine, white oak, and northern red oak. Current vegetation includes quaking aspen, red pine, eastern white pine, American beech, sugar maple, and red maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 96 and 98 in western Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oceana County, Michigan, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (8 inches) (Ap horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 20 to 61 cm (8 to 24 inches) (Bs1 and Bs2 horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.