LOCATION MARCEL                  MT

Established Series
Rev. DES-EMM-KLS
05/2023

MARCEL SERIES

The Marcel series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alpine glacial till or alluvium from hard fine grained igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks. These soils are on alluvial fans, structural benches, and on sides of hills and ridges in mountains. Slopes are 2 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 460 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 3 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Oxyaquic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Marcel gravelly loam, bouldery, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oa--0 to 5 cm; decomposed leaves and roots. (0 to 5 cm thick)

A1--5 to 10 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.

A2--10 to 28 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) gravelly loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary.

A3--28 to 51 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 10 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons - 41 to 66 cm)

Bt1--51 to 66 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent cobbles, 40 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual irregular boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

Bt2--66 to 112 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; few faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual irregular boundary.

Bt3--112 to 158 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations; moderate coarse prismatic structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6). (Combined thickness of Bt2 and Bt3 horizons - 38 to 91 cm.)

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; about 260 meters south and 715 meters east of the NW corner of section 31, T. 4 N., R. 3 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--2 to 6 degrees C
Mean summer soil temperature--11 to 14 degrees C
Moisture control section--10 to 30 cm
Mollic epipedon thickness--41 to 66 cm
Depth to seasonal high water table--61 to 107 cm during May through July
Surface stones or boulders--0 to 3 percent

A horizons
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--1 or 2
Texture--loam or silt loam
Clay content--15 to 27 percent
Rock fragment content--15 to 40 percent; 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 15 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3

Bt1 horizon
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture--sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content--20 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent; 5 to 20 percent stones and cobbles, 30 to 40 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 5.6 to 7.3

Bt2 and Bt3 horizons
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture--sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content--22 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent; 5 to 25 percent stones and cobbles, 30 to 40 percent gravel
Iron concentrations--few to common; Hue--10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR; Value--5 or 6; Chroma--4, 6 or 8
Reaction--pH 5.6 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Beavoe (WY) - have horizons with secondary calcium carbonate.
Cowcamp (MT) - have prolonged saturation from flood irrigation (anthric saturation)

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--alluvial fans, fan remnants, structural benches, and on sides of hills and ridges in mountains
Elevation--1675 to 2450 meters
Slope--2 to 25 percent
Parent material--alpine glacial till or alluvium from hard fine grained igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks
Climate--long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers
Mean annual precipitation--380 to 610 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2 to 4 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 70 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Marcel soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly sedges, sandberg bluegrass, Idaho fescue, rough fescue, Columbia needlegrass, mountain brome, sticky geranium, lupine, big sagebrush, shrubby cinquefoil and iris.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Marcel soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana; MLRA 43B.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.

REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT3157.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon--5 to 66 cm (A1, A2, A3 and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon--51 to 158 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons)
Horizons with redoximorphic features--66 to 158 cm (Bt2 and Bt3 horizons)
Particle-size control section--51 to 97 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)

Marcel soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic soil moisture regime.

Converted to metric and O horizons were updated to start at zero. Competing series section was not updated. 05/2023

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.