LOCATION KLISKON                 AK

Established Series
Rev. KMO-JPM
05/2022

KLISKON SERIES

The Kliskon series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in a mantle of ash-influenced loess overlying glacial till. Kliskon soils are on mountain sideslopes influenced by glaciation. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 30 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 25 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, amorphic over mixed, superactive Andic Cryaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Kliskon silt loam - on a west facing slope of 3 percent under alpine grassland. (All colors are for moist soil)

Oe--3 inches to 0; mat of roots and moderately decomposed grass litter; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)

E--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)

Bhs--2 to 4 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) silt loam,; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

Bs1--4 to 6 inches: reddish brown (5YR 4/4) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bs2--6 to 10 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly smeary, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium distinct yellowish brown (7.5YR 5/8) and few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) mottles; common fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bs3--10 to 19 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) mottles; few fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined B horizons: 7 to 17 inches thick)

2C--19 to 60 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) gravelly loam; massive; firm; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobble; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Yentna Area, Alaska; approximately 2000 feet west of the southwest corner of section 20, T.27N., R.12W., Seward Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The loess mantle ranges from 10 to 20 inches thick over the firm, glacial till substratum. The solum ranges in thickness from 14 to 20 inches. The solum is usually developed entirely in the loess mantle, but, in some pedons, extends into the till material. Some pedons are bisequal. The exchange complex of the sola is dominated by amorphous material. Mottles occur in the lower part of the spodic horizon and in the substratum. Based on morphological evidence the water table is commonly near the surface. However, it ranges below 25 inches in pedons with altered drainage due to natural lowering of the water table. Reaction of the profile ranges from extremely to strongly acid.

The surface horizons have hue of 7.5YR to 10YR; value moist from 2 to 4; and chroma moist of 1 or 2. Texture is loam or very fine sandy loam.

The B horizons have hue from 5YR to 10YR; value moist from 3 to 5; and chroma moist from 1 to 4. Texture is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. Buried B horizons, when present, are similar in color and texture.

The 2C horizon is massive, firm, loam or silt loam. Coarse fragment content ranges from 5 to 35 percent, with 5 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobble.

COMPETING SERIES: These include the Spenard and Grewingk series in the same subgroup. Spenard soils are mottled in the albic horizon and have loess mantles thicker than 20 inches. Grewingk soils have gravelly substratums within 10 inches of the surface. Both of these soils have a ratio of free iron to carbon greater than 0.2 in the spodic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kliskon soils are on mountain sideslopes that have been covered with glacial till. They are above timberline. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. The soils formed in a ash-influenced loess mantle overlying firm glacial till. The mean annual temperature ranges from 30 to 34 degrees F. The average annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 32 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Slow to medium runoff. Moderate permeability in the loess mantle and moderately slow in the till substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: The native vegetation is characteristic of alpine grassland, and includes: bluejoint, forbs, sparse white spruce, and alder. Use is restricted to wildlife habitat by the short growing season.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Alaska. The series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yentna Area, Alaska, 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include: spodic horizons from 2 to 10 inches; mottling in the spodic horizons and an aquic moisture regime; cryic temperature regime; assumed ratio of free iron to carbon of less than 0.2 in the upper part of the spodic; an exchange complex dominated by amorphous material from 0 to 19 inches; loamy particle size from 19 to 60 inches.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.