LOCATION LIGNUMVITAE FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, carbonatic, isohyperthermic Typic Fluvaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Lignumvitae marl from a tidal area dominated by black mangroves.
A1--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) marl (silt loam); weak coarse platy structure parting to moderate medium granular; very friable; many fine and medium roots; common fine and very fine pores; slightly effervescent; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
A2--4 to 32 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) marl (silt loam); weak coarse platy structure parting to weak fine granular; very friable; common fine and very fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary (combined thickness of the A horizon is 20 to 40 inches).
2R--32 inches; soft to hard but rippable coral bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Monroe County, Florida; Windley Key; 0.1 mile southwest of Snake Creek Bridge and 200 feet north of U. S. Hwy 1; NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Sec. 23, T. 63 S., R. 37 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to soft to hard but rippable oolitic limestone or coral is dominantly 25 to 35 inches but the total range is 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. The soil has more than 90 percent calcium carbonate.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2. Where value is 4 or 5, chroma is 1. Texture is marl with a non-carbonate free texture of silt or silt loam. In some pedons, the lower part of the soil is massive and is a C horizon. Percent by volume of coral or limestone fragments is less than 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Competing series in other families are the Cudjoe, Keywest, and Saddlebunch series and the Biscayne, Pennsuco, and Perrine series in hyperthermic families. Cudjoe and Saddlebunch soils are shallow to bedrock and Keywest soils are deeper to bedrock. In addition, Saddlebunch soils are better drained than all competing series, and have a subhorizon with a value of 5 or less with a chroma of 2 or 3.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lignumvitae soils are on tidal mangrove swamps. They are subject to flooding from tides. Elevations are dominantly 1929 NGVD. The mean annual temperature ranges from 75 to 78 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the well drained
mineral
Keyvaca and Pennkamp soils and the moderately well drained organic
Matecumbe and the somewhat poorly drained marly
Saddlebunch soils on higher landforms; the poorly drained marly
Cudjoe and
Keywest soils on similar landforms; and the very poorly drained organic
Islamorada,
Keylargo, and
Tavernier soils on lower landforms.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: These soils are poorly drained with a high water table of 0 to 6 inches during wet periods of most years. Permeability is moderate to moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are used as wildlife habitat. The dominate native vegetation is black mangroves. Red mangroves, white mangroves, saltwort, and glasswort are also common.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lignumvitae soils are of small known extent on the Florida Keys. These soils may occur on other tropical islands.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Florida, 1989.