LOCATION ENSIGN MI+WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Eutrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Ensign fine sandy loam - on a 1 percent slope in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oe--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed leaf litter. (0 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine to coarse roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
B/A--5 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) (B) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry (A) fine sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine to coarse roots; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron accumulations throughout; about 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--8 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine to coarse roots; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions and few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron accumulations throughout; about 2 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
2R--15 inches; fractured limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Mackinac County, Michigan; about 1 mile southwest of the village of Kenneth; 1,750 feet east and 2,200 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 28, T. 43 N., R. 5 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to limestone bedrock ranges from 10 to 20 inches. Some pedons contain limestone flagstones. Rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent by volume throughout the pedon. Textures throughout the pedon typically are fine sandy loam, sandy loam, silt loam, loam, or the gravelly, flaggy, or cobbly analogues of these textures.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR or is neutral, value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 0 to 2. Where present, the Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. Reaction of the A or Ap horizon ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2. Reaction of the E horizon ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The A part of the B/A has textures anc colors similar to those of the A horizon, and the B part has colors and textures similar to those of the Bw horizon. Reaction of the B/A horizon ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR to 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
Some pedons have a C horizon with hue of 5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam or sandy loam. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have a thin layer of residuum directly above the limestone bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Oswegatchie (T) and Summerville series. Both the Oswegatchie and Summerville soils do not have redoximorphic features within the profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ensign soils are on nearly level ground moraines and glacial lake benches. They formed in glacial till of Wisconsinan Age, over limestone. Slope gradients commonly are between 0 and 2 percent and range from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 27 to 32 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 41 to 45 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Amadon, Battydoe, Longrie, Nahma, Onaway, Ruse, and Summerville soils. The shallow Amadon, Summerville, the moderately deep Longrie, and the very deep Battydoe and Onaway soils are well drained associated soils on the higher landscapes. The poorly drained Ruse and Nahma soils are in the wetter position.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. These soils have a seasonal high water table that ranges from 0.5 foot to 1.0 foot below the surface at times during the period between October to May. Runoff is slow or very slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Main uses are pasture and woodland. Much of this soil that was originally cleared has been allowed to revert back to brush. Major tree vegetation is bigtooth aspen, quaking aspen, paper birch, red pine, balsam fir, and northern whitecedar.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southeastern parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northeastern part of the lower Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Delta County and Hiawatha National Forest of Alger and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan, 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from 1 to 5 inches (A horizon); cambic horizon - the zone from 8 to 15 inches (Bw horizon).
The classification of the Ensign series was changed from Lithic Haplaquepts to Lithic Eutrochrepts in 2/94. These soils do not have the required 2 chroma colors (Bg horizons) immediately below the ochric epipedon to qualify for an aquic soil moisture regime. Because there is no Aquic Lithic Eutrochrepts subgroup these soils default to Lithic Eutrochrepts.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record No.: MI0070; MI0477 - COBBLY SURFACE.