LOCATION MORSE LA+AR TX OKEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Chromic Hapluderts
TYPICAL PEDON: Morse clay--woodland. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A--0 to 6 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) and dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay; weak medium granular structure; plastic; many roots; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)
AB--6 to 18 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; plastic, common roots; few vertical cracks filled with very dark gray clay; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bkss1--18 to 28 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure that parts to weak fine granular; very plastic; few roots; few large pockets of brown clay; common calcium carbonate concretions; common large slickensides that intersect in the lower part; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Bkss2--28 to 36 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very plastic; few roots mainly along cleavage plains; discontinuous stratum and common coarse pockets of strong brown soft masses of calcium carbonate enriched soil; common calcium carbonate concretions that are up to 1 1/2 centimeters in diameter; common large slickensides that intersect; few black stains on faces of peds; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Bkss3--36 to 50 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very plastic; few roots mainly along cleavage plains; discontinuous strata and common coarse pockets of brown soft masses of calcium carbonate enriched soil; common calcium carbonate concretions up to 2 1/2 centimeters in diameter; few black stains on faces of peds; many intersecting slickensides; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Bkss4--50 to 74 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay with common coarse light brownish gray pockets; massive; very plastic; few roots; common coarse pockets of brown calcium carbonate materials; common calcium carbonate concretions; many intersecting slickensides; calcareous; moderately alkaline. (10 to 30 inches thick)
2C--74 to 84 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) very fine sandy loam; massive; very friable; calcareous; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Rapides Parish, Louisiana; 2.8 miles west of Odis; 100 feet north of gravel road; SE1/4SE1/4 sec. 22, R. 4 W., T. 3 N.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 60 to more than 80 inches. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 0 to 15 inches. Intersecting slickensides range from common to many in the Bkss horizon. Most areas have prominent gilgai relief with a maximum difference in elevation between the micro swales and micro ridges of about 8 inches. Pedons are cyclic. Thickness of the A horizon ranges from 1 inch on the micro ridge tops to 8 inches in the micro swales. Weighted average clay content in the 10- to 40-inch section is 45 to 60 percent.
The A horizon is dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4 or 2/4; 5YR 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, or 2/2), very dark gray (5YR 3/1 or 10YR 3/1), or dark brown (7.5YR 4/2 or 3/2). It is clay or silty clay and neutral through moderately alkaline. Typically, though not diagnostic, the A horizons are calcareous and have calcium carbonate concretions. Clayey AB horizons are common in the swale part of the cyclic pedons. They are intermediate between the A and Bkss horizon in colors.
The Bkss horizon is red (2.5YR 4/6, 5/6, or 4/8) yellowish red (5YR 5/6, 4/6, or 4/8), or reddish brown (5YR 4/4). Texture is clay. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Some pedons have subhorizons with up to 15 percent calcium carbonate concretions and masses that are 1 to 15 mm in diameter.
The 2C horizon, where present is red (2.5YR 4/6, 5/6, or 4/8) yellowish red (5YR 5/6, 4/6, or 4/8), or reddish brown (5YR 4/4). Texture is very fine sandy loam It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Other series in closely relate families are the Burkeville, Hannon, Naclina, Redco, Ships, and Tahoula series. Burkeville soils have more than 60 percent clay in the control section, have smectitic minerology, and are on.Tertiary age uplands Hannon and Naclina soils have smectitic minerology, and are over shale or stratified loamy and clayey materials and chalk. Redco soils have more than 60 percent clay in the control section, have smectitic minerology, and are more acid in the upper part of the solum. Ships soils have more than 60 percent clay in the control section, and are on flood plains of the Colorado and Brazos Rivers. Tahoula soils have more than 60 percent clay in the control section, have smectitic minerology, and are deep to shale or mudstone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Morse soils are on the nearly level to moderately steep terraces ofthe Red Rivers. Gradients are commonly 0 to 12 percent but range up to 20 percent. These soils developed in calcareous clayey alluvial deposits of Pleistocene age. The climate is humid temperate. Mean annual temperature near the type location is 65 degrees F. and mean annual precipitaion is 56 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gore, McKamie, Eastwood, and Sacul series. All of these soils have a loamy A horizon overlying a clayey argillic horizon. In addition, Eastwood and Sacul soils formed on upland positions over shaley materials.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium internal drainage; medium to rapid runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in mixed hardwood and shortleaf pine woodland.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Acadia Parish, Louisiana; 1903.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Cambic Horizon 18 to 74 inches (Bkss horizon)
Intersecting slickensides 18 to 74 inches (Bkss horizon)
Secondary carbonates 18 to 74 inches (Bkss horizon)
Lithologic Discontinuity at 74 inches (top of 2C horizon)