LOCATION KARHEEN                 AK

Established Series
Rev:WDL/CSC/JPM
05/2022

KARHEEN SERIES

The Karheen series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils formed from decomposing organic material which is underlain, and intermixed, with beach deposits. Karheen soils occur on uplifted beaches adjacent to tidal water. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation exceeds 100 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 45 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic Typic Cryosaprists

TYPICAL PEDON: Karheen mucky peat - on an uplifted beach of 4 percent slope under conifer forest vegetation at 15 feet elevation. When described the water table was at 1/2 foot. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; forest litter and living mosses; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

Oe--1 to 5 inches; black (5YR 2/1) mucky peat consisting of well decomposed forest litter; 75% fiber content unrubbed, 15% fiber content rubbed; nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; extremely acid (pH 4.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Oa1--5 to 9 inches; black (N 2/0) muck; few fibers unrubbed, no fibers after rubbing; nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

0a2--9 to 15 inches; black (N 2/0) very gravelly muck; no fibers; nonsticky, nonplastic; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); 50 percent gravel; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

0a3--15 to 60 inches; black (N 2/0) extremely gravelly muck; no fibers; nonsticky, nonplastic; no roots; 80 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Hollis Area, Alaska. In the vicinity of Barnes Lake, North Prince of Wales - Thorne Bay Ranger District, Ketchikan Area, Tongass National Forest.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean summer soil temperature is about 47 degrees F. and the mean annual soil temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Due to the maritime influence, the soils are not frozen below a depth of 2 inches in most years. Depth to gravelly muck ranges from 7 to 18 inches. Gravel content increases with depth. There is more than 12 percent organic carbon is all layers. pH is extremely acid or very strongly acid.

The Oa2 horizon has from 35 to 50 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.

The 0a3 horizon has from 60 to 80 percent coarse fragments; gravel content ranges from 60 to 80 percent, and cobble content ranges from 0 to 20 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Maybeso, Kaikli, Kitkun and Sunnyhay series. Maybeso soils have mineral soil material with less than 12 percent organic carbon in the control section. Kaikli and Sunnyhay soils are moderately deep over bedrock. Kitkun soils are shallow over bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Karheen soils occur on low gently sloping to moderately sloping uplifted beaches adjacent to tidal water. The parent material is decomposing organic material which overlies, and is intermixed with, beach gravel and cobbles of mixed rock type. The climate is humid maritime with mean annual precipitation in excess of 100 inches. The mean annual air temperature is about 45 degrees F and the mean summer air temperature is about 55 degrees F. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. Elevation ranges from sea level to 200 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Salt Chuck and Wadleigh series. Salt Chuck soils are mineral soils on uplifted beaches. Wadleigh soils are mineral soils on toeslopes.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Rapid permeability. Runoff is very slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: The Karheen soils are used for timber production, wildlife habitat, and recreation. The overstory is dominantly western hemlock and western redcedar with lesser amounts of Sitka spruce. The understory vegetation consists largely of blueberry, red huckleberry, rusty menziesia, skunk cabbage, forbs, ferns, and moss.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Alaska. The series is of moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: WASILLA, ALASKA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hollis Area, Alaska, 1969.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are: organic material from 0 to 60 inches; sapric material from 5 to 60 inches; a cryic temperature regime; pH of greater than 4.5 (0.01M CaCl2) from 5 to 60 inches.

Note: The Karheen series formerly classified as a clastic, dysic Typic Cryosaprist.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.