LOCATION CARON MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coprogenous, euic, mesic Limnic Haplohemists
TYPICAL PEDON: Caron muck with a plane level slope in a large bog in a rolling glacial moraine; pastured. (Colors are for moist soil. Reaction in 0.01 M Calcium Chlorine 2.)
Oa--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1), and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face sapric material, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; primarily herbaceous fibers about 20 percent unrubbed and 5 percent rubbed; about 35 percent mineral material; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
Oe--9 to 46 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face hemic material, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) rubbed; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; primarily herbaceous fibers about 75 percent unrubbed and 30 percent rubbed; about 10 percent mineral material; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
C1--46 to 60 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face coprogenous earth, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly plastic; about 20 percent plant detritus; about 50 percent mineral material; slight effervescence; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C2--60 to 84 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face coprogenous earth, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed; massive; slightly plastic; about 10 percent plant detritus; about 60 percent mineral material; slight effervescence; mildly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Rice County, Minnesota; about 13 miles north of Faribault; 480 feet south and 620 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 25, T. 112 N., R. 21 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to coprogenous earth ranges from 16 to 51 inches. The fibers primarily are derived from herbaceous plants but some pedons contain layers of Hypnum moss fibers. This soil typically is neutral, slightly acid, or medium acid but some pedons have subhorizons that are mildly alkaline and contain free carbonates. Hemic soil materials are dominant in the organic portion of the control section, but some pedons have thin layers of sapric or fibric soil materials. The hemic soil materials have hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 1 through 3. Rubbed color is similar or is as much as 1 unit lower in value and/or chroma.
The C horizon (coprogenous earth) has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through mildly alkaline. Snail shells comprise as much as 20 percent of the volume of this material in some pedons. The content of plant detritus ranges from a trace to as much as 40 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: No other series in this family but closely related series are the Muskego and Palms series. Muskego soils consist mostly of sapric material. Palms soils formed in sapric material and have mineral material within the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Caron soils are primarily in glacial moraines in bogs ranging in size from a few acres to several hundred acres. Slope gradients are less than 1 percent. These soils formed in moderately decomposed organic soil materials that are underlain by coprogenous earth beginning at depths ranging from 16 to 51 inches. The soil is saturated with water during most of the year unless drained. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 20 to 35 inches or more.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Muskego and Palms soils. Muskego soils are in similar areas but are dominated by sapric materials. The Palms soils are in marginal areas where the coprogenous earth thins out and is replaced by loamy material. The Hayden, Lester, Erin, and Kilkenny soils and their respective hydrosequence members are common associates on nearby uplands.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Surface runoff is ponded. Permeability is moderately slow in the limnic sediments and moderate and moderately rapid in the organic soil material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Some of this soil is drained. It is used for pasture and hay and the drained areas are used for field corn, silage corn, sweet corn, and soybeans. A few areas are used for vegetable crops. Native vegetation consisted of water tolerant grasses, reeds, and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Minnesota. Moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rice County, Minnesota, 1971.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MN Agr. Exp. Sta. Central File Code No. 1428 for results of some laboratory analysis of the typifying pedon.