LOCATION BRETHREN MI

Established Series
Rev. RWN-LKB-MLK
08/2012

BRETHREN SERIES

The Brethren series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in sandy deposits on outwash plains and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 787 mm (31 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.9 degrees C (48 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, mesic Oxyaquic Haplorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Brethren sand, on a south-facing, convex, 2 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 240 meters. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. When described on June 18, 1996, the soil was moist throughout.)

A--0 to 10 cm (4 inches); black (N 2.5/) sand, dark gray (N 4/) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse and few very coarse roots throughout; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) thick]

E--10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/2) sand, gray (7.5YR 6/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots throughout; very strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. [10 to 18 cm (4 to 7 inches thick)

Bhs--20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots throughout; moderately acid; abrupt irregular boundary. [2 to 10 cm (1 to 4 inches) thick]

Bs--25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots throughout; columns of very weakly cemented, dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) ortstein about 8 cm (3 inches) wide extending through the Bw horizon into the BC horizon; ortstein columns are about 89 cm (35 inches) apart; ortstein occupies about 8 percent of the horizon; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. [(10 to 15 inches) thick]

Bw--51 to 69 cm (20 to 27 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sand; single grain; loose; common very fine to coarse roots throughout; columns of very weakly cemented, dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) ortstein about 13 cm (5 inches) wide extend through this horizon from the Bs horizon into the BC horizon; ortstein columns are about 89 cm (35 inches) apart; ortstein occupies about 20 percent of the horizon; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 23 cm (9 inches) thick]

BC--69 to 109 cm (27 to 43 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; few very fine and fine roots throughout; columns of very weakly cemented, dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) ortstein about (5 inches) wide extend from the Bs and Bw horizons; ortstein columns are about 89 cm (35 inches) apart; ortstein occupies about 20 percent of the horizon; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; about 3 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [15 to 41 cm (6 to 16 inches) thick]

C--109 to 203 cm (43 to 80 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand with a few lenses of coarse sand and gravel; single grain; loose; few fine and very fine roots throughout; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and yellowish red (5YR 4/6), and common medium faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron; about 3 percent gravel; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Manistee County, Michigan; 3 miles southwest of the village of Copemish; 1550 feet south and 1790 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 26, T. 24 N., R. 14 W., Springdale Township; USGS Copemish topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 27 minutes 3 seconds N. and long. 85 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds W., NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 8.3 to 9.4 degrees C (47 to 49 degrees F)
Ortstein content: less than 40 percent of the profile and occurs in less than half of the pedons
Depth to redoximorphic features: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)

A or Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

Bhs horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

Bs horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand
Ortstein content: 0 to 40 percent, occurring as columns or tongues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid or moderately acid

Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 6 to 8
Texture: sand
Ortstein content: 0 to 40 percent, occurring as columns or tongues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid or moderately acid

BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5
Chroma: 6
Texture: sand
Ortstein content: 0 to 40 percent, occurring as columns or tongues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar series in related families are the Covert series. Covert soils do not have a Bhs horizon and are not in the isotic mineralogy family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Brethren soils are on outwash plains and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. The Brethren soils formed in sandy deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 762 to 813 mm (30 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 8.3 to 9.4 degrees C (47 to 49 degrees F). Frost-free period is 120 to 160 days. Elevation is 183 to 305 meters (600 to 1000 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Grattan, Kaleva, Benzonia, Saugatuck, and Dair soils. Grattan, Kaleva and Benzonia soils are on higher landform positions. Saugatuck and Dair soils are wetter members of a drainage sequence with the Brethren soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Depth to the top of an apparent seasonal high water table ranges from 76 to 107 cm (2.5 to 3.5 feet) for 1 month or more per year at sometime during the period September to May in 6 or more out of 10 years. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to very low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested or are idle. Some areas are planted to pine trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 96 and 98 in northwestern lower peninsula of Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Manistee County, Michigan, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (8 inches) (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) (E horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 20 to 51 cm (8 to 20 inches) (Bhs and Bs horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox accumulations below the spodic horizon and within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.