LOCATION MASONTOWN NCEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, nonacid, thermic Cumulic Humaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Masontown muck loam--forested.
(Colors are for moist unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 27 inches; black (10YR 2/1) mucky loam; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
A2--27 to 32 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam; few medium distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mottles; weak medium granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; neutral; clear irregular boundary. (The A horizon is 24 to 48 inches thick)
Cg1--32 to 52 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy sand; many medium and coarse distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) mottles; common lenses and pockets of sand and sandy loam; single grained; loose; few fine roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 56 inches thick)
Cg2--52 to 80 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand; many medium and coarse faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mottles; single grained; loose; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Carteret County, North Carolina; 4.2 miles west of Newport on SR 1124; 300 feet west of road in flood plain of the Newport River.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction ranges from moderately acid to mildly alkaline. Base saturation is more than 35 percent in part or all of the control section.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, or it is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. Mottles are in shades of these colors in many pedons. It is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or silt loam or their mucky analogues. Thin strata of loamy sand or loamy fine sand are evident in some pedons.
The C horizon is in hue of 10YR to 5Y, or it is neutral, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 0 to 2. Mottles are in shades of these colors in many pedons. It is sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam. These textures are in thin strata in some pedons. In a few pedons, finer textural layers are in thin bands. The control section average 10 to 18 percent clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Arapahoe, Ballahack, Conaby, Johnston, Muckalee, Pickney, Polawana, Torhunta, and Wasda series are in closely related families. Arapahoe and Torhunta soils have umbric epipedons less than 24 inches thick. In addition, Arapahoe soils have mixed mineralogy and Torhunta soils are acid. Ballahack and Johnston soils are acid and have significantly lower base saturation. Also Ballahack soils are fine-loamy. Conaby and Wasda soils have histic epipedons and mixed mineralogy. In addition, Wasda soils are fine-loamy. Pickney and Polawana soils are sandy. Polawana soils also have mixed mineralogy. Muckalee soils lack umbric epipedons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Masontown soils are in nearly level flood plains along streams of the Lower Coastal Plain. Slopes are less than 2 percent. The soil formed in stratified loamy and sandy fluvial sediments. Near the type location the mean annual temperature is about 63 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 53 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing Muckalee, Pickney, and Torhunta series, these are the Dorovan, Murville, Pamlico, and Rutledge series. Dorovan and Pamlico soils have organic layers more than 16 inches thick. Murville and Rutledge soils are sandy and have umbric epipedons. In addition, Murville soils have spodic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; runoff is very slow to ponded; moderately rapid permeability in the A horizon and moderately rapid to rapid permeability in the C horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Predominant use if for woodland and wildlife habitat. The major trees include baldcypress, American elm, green ash, swamp tupelo, sweetgum, willow oak, swamp chestnut oak, and water oak. Common understory plants are red maple, redbay, river birch, black willow, American hornbeam, American holly, poison ivy, Virginia creeper, grape, arrowhead, Pennsylvania smartweed, lizard's tail, greenbrier, and netted chainfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plain of North Carolina and possibly Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Carteret County, North Carolina; 1984.
REMARKS: In the past, Masontown soils have been included with Johnston soils. The non-acid condition is attributed to surface runoff and erosion of soil that has been limed and from marl formations.
ADDITIONAL DATA: At the type location.
(1) N.C. State University
Mineralogy of fine sand in the A2 horizon; Quartz - 99
percent; Opaque - 1 percent
(2) Soil Survey Field Party
Reaction by Lipan pH meter - acidity and base status by Hach Soil analysis kit.
(1=1 Water) (meq/100gms)
Horizon pH Calcium + Magnesium Acidity Percent Base Saturation A1 7.0 17 13 57
A2 7.1 11 7 61
Cg1 7.2 4 6 40
Cg2 7.1 3 5 38
The A1 horizon contains a significant amount of organic matter and the A2 has some enrichment of organic matter.
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
SOI-5 Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation NC0172 MASONTOWN 0- 2 59- 70 200-240 40- 60 20- 70SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness NC0172 FREQ - APPARENT - 60-60
SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC- NC0172 0-27 MK-L MK-SL MK-FSL 0- 0 95-100 10-18 20- 40 NC0172 0-27 FSL L SL 0- 0 95-100 10-18 10- 30 NC0172 0-27 SIL 0- 0 98-100 5-27 10- 35 NC0172 27-32 FSL L SIL 0- 0 95-100 10-18 5- 15 NC0172 32-80 LS S SL 0- 0 95-100 2-18 1- 15
SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll NC0172 0-27 5.6- 7.8 8.-15 0- 0 2.0- 6.0 LOW NC0172 0-27 5.6- 7.8 4.-10 0- 0 2.0- 6.0 LOW NC0172 0-27 5.6- 7.8 4.-10 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW NC0172 27-32 5.6- 7.8 .5-3. 0- 0 2.0- 6.0 LOW NC0172 32-80 5.6- 7.8 0.-1. 0- 0 2.0- 20 LOW