LOCATION CRACKER FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, thermic Lithic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Cracker mucky clay--in an area of tidal marsh (Colors are for wet soil).
A1--0 to 4 inches; black (10YR 2/1) mucky clay; massive; slightly sticky; non-plastic; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
A2--4 to 12 inches; very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) sandy clay loam; massive; slightly sticky; slightly plastic; neutral; abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons range from 6 to 20 inches).
R--12+ inches; hard limestone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Levy County, Florida; approximately 2,700 feet east and 3,000 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 3, T. 16 S.; R. 15 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to limestone bedrock ranges from 6 to 20 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral throughout. Total sulfur content is less than 0.75 percent, and n-values are less than 0.7 throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or less. The upper part of the A horizon has texture of clay, silty clay, or sandy clay loam, as well as the mucky analogues of these textures. The lower parts of the A horizon have texture of sandy clay loam, clay loam, or fine sandy loam.
The Oa horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 2, and chroma of 2 or less. It is composed of sapric material. Thickness of the Oa horizon is less than 1/2 the total thickness of the soil, or 8 inches, whichever is less. Texture is muck.
A Cg horizon may occur below a depth of 10 inches in some pedons. Where present, it has hue of 10YR to 5GY, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or less; or it is multicolored in shades of brown, yellow, or olive. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Dilton series. Dilton soils are on floodplains in Tennessee.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cracker soils are in tidal marshes along the Gulf Coast of northern Florida. Slopes are less than 1 percent. They formed in thin layers of clayey and loamy marine sediments over limestone. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches, and the average annual temperature ranges from 65 to 70 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dania, Demory, and Tidewater series. Dania soils are in freshwater marshes and are Histosols. Demory soils are on slightly higher positions and have less clay in the control section. Tidewater soils are on similar positions and are deep or very deep to limestone bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Cracker soils are tidal marsh and used for wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation consists of black needlerush, marshhay cordgrass, and saltwort.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tidal marshes along the Gulf Coast of northern Florida. The series is of small known extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Levy County, Florida; 1990. Source of the name is the small coastal community of Crackertown in Levy County.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Lithic contact - at a depth of 12 inches (R horizon).
Cracker soils are inundated by high tides on a daily basis.