LOCATION FERN MI
Established Series
Rev. EPJ-JKC-MLK
08/2012
FERN SERIES
The Fern series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in sandy and loamy till on ground moraines, end moraines, and terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 787 mm (31 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 8.3 degrees C (47 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, active, mesic Arenic Oxyaquic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Fern fine sand, on a 2 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 33 cm (13 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sand; brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [20 to 36 cm (8 to 14 inches) thick]
E--33 to 58 cm (13 to 23 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand; single grain; loose; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [2.5 to 61 cm (1 to 24 inches) thick]
2E/B--58 to 84 cm (23 to 33 inches); about 60 percent pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy fine sand (E); extending into or completely surrounding peds of strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [8 to 30 cm (3 to 12 inches) thick]
2B/E--84 to 127 cm (33 to 50 inches); about 85 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loam (Bt); surrounded by or penetrated by tongues of pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy fine sand (E); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very few faint brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 53 cm (21 inches) thick]
2Bt--127 to 152 cm (50 to 60 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very few faint brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; about 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [8 to 64 cm (3 to 25 inches) thick]
2C--152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/3) loam; massive; about 2 percent gravel; few fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Mason County, Michigan; about 5 miles east of the village of Freesoil; 2600 feet north and 250 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 28, T. 20 N., R. 15 W.; USGS Millerton topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 6 minutes 3.336 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 7 minutes 4.276 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the loamy material: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Thickness of the solum: 76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 inches) or more
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent throughout the profile
Ap horizon, or A horizon where present:
Thickness of the A horizon: 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand or sand
Organic matter content: less than 1 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sand, sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bw horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand
E part of the 2E/B and 2B/E horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sand, sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bt part of the 2E/B and 2B/E horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
2Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
BC horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 4
Chroma: 3
Texture: clay loam
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Fern soils are on ground moraines, end moraines, and terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. The Fern soils formed in sandy and loamy till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 762 to 813 mm (30 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.8 to 8.9 degrees C (46 to 48 degrees F).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Marlette,
Remus,
Spinks, and
Wixom soils. The Marlette soils do not have a sandy surface layer and are on similar landscape positions. The well drained Remus and Spinks soils are on similar landscape positions. The somewhat poorly drained Wixom soils are on slightly lower landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Depth to the top of a seasonal high water table ranges from 61 to 107 cm (2.0 to 3.5 feet) between September and May in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high in the sandy part and moderately high in the loamy part. Permeability is rapid in the sandy part and moderate in the loamy part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Some areas are used for pasture or are wooded. Common trees in wooded areas are northern red oak, red maple and sugar maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 96 and 98 in west central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mason County, Michigan, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 33 cm (13 inches) (Ap horizon).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 33 to 84 cm (13 to 33 inches) (E horizon and E part of the 2E/B horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 84 to 152 cm (33 to 60 inches) (Bt part of the 2B/E horizon and 2Bt horizons).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 58 to 127 cm (23 to 50 inches) (2E/B and 2B/E horizons).
The well drained phase of the series is no longer within the series concept (on slopes greater than 12 percent).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record: MI0601.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.