LOCATION CUDJOE FL
Established Series
Rev. GWH; GRB
10/2018
CUDJOE SERIES
The Cudjoe series consists of shallow, poorly drained, moderately to moderately rapid permeable soils in tidal and other flooded areas of the Florida Keys. They formed in calcareous marl over rippable coral or oolitic limestone. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 76 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 45 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, carbonatic, isohyperthermic, shallow Typic Fluvaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Cudjoe marl from a tidal area dominated by black and white mangroves
Lk1--0 to 9 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) marl (silt loam); weak coarse platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; very friable; common fine and medium roots; common fine and very fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Lk2--9 to 16 inches; white (10YR 8/1) marl (silt loam); weak coarse platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; very friable; common fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; about 5 percent, by volume, limestone flags and pebbles in lower 2 inches; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (Thickness of the Lk horizons range from 3 to 20 inches).
R--16 inches; soft to hard, rippable coral bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Monroe County, Florida; Plantation Key. Approximately 0.25 mile southwest of Treasure Harbor and about 200 feet south of U.S. Hwy 1; NW 1/4, NW 1/4, NW 1/4, Sec. 24, T. 63 S., R. 37 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock ranges from 3 to 20 inches. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline throughout. It is calcareous, effervescent, and has more than 90 percent calcium carbonate. Content of limestone fragments range from 0 to 10 percent, by volume.
The Oa horizon, where present, is less than 3 inches in thickness and has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is composed of sapric material. Texture is muck.
The Lk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is marl with a non-carbonate free texture of silt or silt loam.
The R horizon is soft to hard, rippable coral or oolitic limestone.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Saddlebunch soils are in the same family. The somewhat poorly drained Saddlebunch series is on slightly higher positions.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cudjoe soils are on tidal mangrove swamps and other areas subject to frequent flooding. Elevations range from 0 to 3 feet above 1929 NGVD. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. They formed in calcareous marl that is shallow over coral or oolitic limestone. The climate is humid tropical. The average annual temperature ranges from 75 to 78 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Saddlebunch series and the
Islamorada,
Keylargo,
Keywest,
Keyvaca,
Lignumvitae,
Matecumbe,
Pennekamp, and
Tavernier soils. The very poorly drained Islamorada, Keylargo, and Tavernier soils are on lower positions and are organic. In addition, Islamorada soils are very deep to limestone and Keylargo soils are moderately deep to limestone. The well drained Keyvaca and Pennekamp soils are on higher positions, have loamy-skeletal mineral control sections, and are Mollisols. In addition, Pennekamp soils have muck surface layers. Keywest and Lignumvitae soils are on similar positions. In addition, Keywest soils have a buried histic epipedon and are deep to limestone while Lignumvitae soils are moderately deep to limestone. The moderately well drained Matecumbe soils are on higher landforms and have muck surface layers.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Cudjoe soils are used as wildlife habitat. The dominant native vegetation is black mangrove, red mangrove, and white mangrove along with saltwort, glasswort, and poisonwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cudjoe soils are of small known extent on the Florida Keys. These soils may occur on other tropical islands.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Florida, 1989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Limnic feature--the zone from 0 to 16 inches (marl over limestone; Lk1 and Lk2 horizons).
Shallow feature --depth to limestone is 16 inches.
High water table of 0 to 6 inches during wet periods of most years.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.