LOCATION KUANENE HI

Established Series
CDJ
05/2012

KUANENE SERIES

The Kuanene series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash deposited over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 40 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 2,159 millimeters (85 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 19 degrees C. (66 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over ashy, aniso, amorphic, isothermic Lithic Hapludands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kuanene medial loam - open forest, on a 14 percent slope at an elevation of 768 meters (2,520 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described on 10/4/01 the soil was moist throughout. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH was determined by organic dye.)

Oi--0 to 2 centimeters (0 to 1 inches); slightly decomposed grass litter; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 centimeters (0 to 1 inches) thick)

A--2 to 15 centimeters (1 to 6 inches); black (10YR 2/1) medial loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, few coarse and very coarse roots throughout; few fine irregular pores between peds; weakly smeary; very strongly acid (pH 4.6) abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches) thick)

2A--15 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium, few coarse and very coarse roots throughout; few fine subangular blocky peds are firm; very strongly acid (pH 4.8) abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 centimeters (0 to 2 inches) thick)

2C--18 to 30 centimeters (7 to 12 inches); lithochromic black (10YR 2/1) ashy loamy fine sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) dry; massive; soil masses are slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, and fine, common medium, coarse and very coarse roots throughout; few fine dendritic pores throughout; 5 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) areas along root channels; very strongly acid (pH 5.0) abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches) thick)

3Bw--30 to 43 centimeters (12 to 17 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) cobbly medial fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, and fine, common medium, coarse and very coarse roots throughout; few fine dendritic pores throughout; coarse sized patches of 10 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) and 5 percent black (10YR 2/1) colors, 5 percent angular pahoehoe gravel, 10 percent angular pahoehoe cobbles, moderately smeary; strongly acid (pH 5.5) abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 33 centimeters (4 to 13 inches) thick)

4R--43 centimeters (17 inches); hard massive Mauna Loa pahoehoe bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii; from Kapapala Ranch headquarters drive east on prominent old sugar cane road approximately 1.8 miles, turn left onto an unmarked two track road, travel about 150 feet; pit is located 40 feet mauka of two track road; Wood Valley Quadrangle. (latitude 19 degrees 18 minutes, 19 seconds N. and longitude 155 degrees 26 minutes 37 seconds W. Old Hawaiian Datum; measured by GPS/PLGR)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock: 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches).
Depth of medial material overlying ashy material: 8 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches).
Thickness of ashy material: 5 to 15 centimeters (5 to 7 inches).
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent total volume for the soil, typically mostly cobbles concentrated in the deepest horizon.
Soil Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid.
Mean annual rainfall: 1,500 to 3,000 millimeters (59 to 118 inches).
Soil moisture: The soil is typically moist but may experience periodic drying of the control section with summer being the mostly likely season for drying.

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist.
Texture: Medial fine sandy loam, medial very fine sandy loam, or medial loam.

Ap horizon when present
Similar to A horizon but frequently has underlying ashy material mixed into the horizon

Bw horizon when present
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist.
Texture: Medial fine sandy loam, medial very fine sandy loam, or medial loam.

2A horizon when present
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist.
Texture: Medial fine sandy loam, or medial loamy very fine sand.

2C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist.
Texture: Ashy loamy fine sand, ashy loamy very fine sand, or ashy loamy sand

3A or 3Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4 moist.
Texture: May be cobbly or very cobbly with fines being medial fine sandy loam, medial very fine sandy loam, or medial loam.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kuanene soils are on Mauna Loa pahoehoe flows aged 750 to 3,000 years at elevations of 457 to 1,372 meters (1,500 to 4,500 feet). Slopes range from 2 to 40 percent. The mean annual rainfall is 1,550 to 3,000 millimeters (60 to 118 inches). The mean annual pan evaporation is 1,270 to 1,524 millimeters (50 to 60 inches). The mean annual air temperature is 14 to 21 degrees C. (57 to 70 degrees F.).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alapai and Moaula soils. Alapai and Moaula soils occur on kipukas and are very deep to underlying bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is high. Permeability is moderate in the soil and very slow in the underlying pahoehoe bedrock. Some areas experience occasional very brief flash flooding.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forestland, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, recreation, and agroforestry. Vegetation is ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), silkoak (Grevillea robusta), common guava (Psidium guajava), and grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils occur on south aspect slopes of Moana Loa; MLRA 159B. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii, 2012. Proposed 2002. The name is taken from a Puu located on the Wood Valley topographic Quad.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features (8th edition keys to soil taxonomy) recognized in this pedon are:
Udic soil moisture regime
Isothermic soil temperature regime
Andic soil properties - from the mineral surface to bedrock; 2 to 43 centimeters.
Ochric epipedon - from 2 to 18 centimeters (A and 2A horizons).
Cambic horizon - from 30 to 43 centimeters (3Bw horizon).
Lithologic discontinuities - At depths 18, 30 and 43 centimeters.
Lithic contact - at 43 centimeters (17 inches).

ADDITIONAL DATA:

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.