LOCATION DIAMOND                 VI+PR

Inactive Series
Rev. GA-BCD-JD
05/2017

DIAMOND SERIES

The Diamond series consists of shallow, well drained, moderately permeable soils. They formed in materials derived from limestone. These nearly level to moderately steep soils are on small irregular areas among limestone rockland in coastal plains. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 32 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 79 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, isohyperthermic Lithic Haplustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Diamond clay loam. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 2 inches; dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) clay loam; weak, fine granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; mildly alkaline; common roots; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

Bw--2 to 10 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay loam; moderate coarse granular structure; friable, slightly sticky, plastic; about 15 percent limestone fragments; common roots; mildly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

C--10 to 14 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) loam, massive; friable, slightly sticky, non plastic; few roots; calcareous; moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)

R--14 inches plus; semi-consolidated silicified limestone.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Croix, VI.I.; near White's Lady, east of Westend Saltpond in the southwest tip of St. Croix.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum and depth to limestone ranges from 8 to 16 inches. Limestone rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent throughout. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Texture is clay loam or loam throughout.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 2 or 3.

The B horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 and chroma of 4 to 6.

The BC horizon, where present, has similar color and texture as the Bw horizon.

The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 and chroma of 4 to 6.

The Cr layer, where present is less than 5 inches thick. It is soft limestone which rock structure that is root limiting.

The R layer is semiconsolidated silicified limestone.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Diamond soils occur in small irregular areas in association with limestone rockland and occupy 50 to 70 percent of the landscape. These soils are on nearly level to undulating coastal plains with slope gradients of 0 to 12 percent. The climate is semiarid. Rainfall ranges from 30 to 35 inches and temperature from 78 to 80 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include Aguilita, Fredensborg, Hesselburg and Sion soils. The Aguilita soils are very shallow gravelly calcareous soils occurring on steeper slopes, and are underlain by soft limestone. The Fredensborg are dark brown to black calcareous fine textured soils underlain by marl or soft limestone. The Hesselberg soils occupy low lying swales or valleys. The Sion are shallow grayish brown calcareous moderately fine textured soils underlain by marl or soft limestone.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Very small percent of the total acreage is cultivated. Area covered by shrubs and native grasses and used for pasture and building sites.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Virgin Islands and offshore islands of Puerto Rico. Series is of minor extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: In St. Croix, V. I., l932.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - zone from 0 to 2 inches (A horizon)

Cambic horizon - zone from 2 to 14 inches (Bw horizon)

Lithic contact - at 14 inches

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.