LOCATION MOSSBACK                MI

Established Series
Rev. WEP-JOW-AAC
08/2012

MOSSBACK SERIES

The Mossback series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy till overlying sandy glaciofluvial deposits on end moraines and ground moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 6.1 degrees C (43 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Haplic Glossudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Mossback sandy loam, on a north-facing, 17 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 394 meters (1,294 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 8 cm (3 inches); black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots, common medium and coarse roots; 3 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) thick]

Bw--8 to 28 cm (3 to 11 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine to coarse roots; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings in root channels and worm burrows; 3 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [13 to 36 cm (5 to 14 inches) thick]

E--28 to 33 cm (11 to 13 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and common medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings in root channels and worm burrows; 3 percent gravel; hard and brittle when dry; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

E/B--33 to 46 cm (13 to 18 inches); 80 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand (E), light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; surrounding reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam (Bt); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium tubular pores; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings in root channels and worm burrows; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear irregular boundary. [5 to 46 cm (2 to 18 inches) thick]

Bt1--46 to 61 cm (18 to 24 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; many faint dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings in root channels and worm burrows; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [8 to 66 cm (3 to 26 inches) thick]

Bt2--61 to 112 cm (24 to 44 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; very few fine and medium roots; common prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 58 cm (23 inches)]

C--112 to 188 cm (44 to 74 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam; massive; friable; few prominent very pale brown (10YR 7/3) carbonate coatings on faces of peds and few fine carbonate masses; 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [66 to 142 cm (26 to 56 inches) thick]

2C--188 to 203 cm (74 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand and gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose; 20 percent fine gravel; slightly effervescent; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Otsego County Michigan; 590 feet south and 100 feet west of the center of sec. 24, T.31 N., R.3 W., Livingston Township; USGS Sparr, Michigan 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 03 minutes 41.02 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 37 minutes 26.00 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of soil development: 51 to 152 cm (20 to 60 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 61 to 89 cm (24 to 35 inches)
Rock fragment content: 1 to 15 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Reaction: very strongly to slightly acid

Ap horizon, where present:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3
Chroma: 2 or 3
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

E horizon, where present above the Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sandy loam
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

E part of E/B or B/E horizon, or an E' horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy sand or sandy loam
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bt horizon and Bt part of the E/B or B/E horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam or loam; some pedons have thin subhorizons of sandy loam
Clay content: averages less than 27 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to slightly alkaline

BC horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

2C horizon:
Texture: sand or loamy sand, is stratified sand and loamy sand, or the gravelly analogs of these textures
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bamfield, Neckrock, Pecore, and Tilleda series. The Bamfield soils average more than 27 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Neckrock soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Pecore and Tilleda soils do not have carbonates within a depth of 89 cm (35 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Mossback soils are on end moraines and ground moraines of late Wisconsinan Age. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. Mossback soils formed in loamy till overlying sandy glaciofluvial deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 1016 mm (28 to 40 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 4.4 to 7.2 degrees C (40 to 45 degrees F). Frost-free period is 80 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bamfield, Blue Lake, Mancelona, and Menominee soils. The Bamfield, Blue Lake, and Menominee soils and the excessively drained Mancelona soils are on similar landscape positions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to high depending on the slope gradient. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: The less sloping areas are in rotational cropping of corn, hay, oats, and wheat. The steeper areas are in permanent pasture or forest. Native vegetation is dominantly American basswood, American beech, black cherry, ironwood, red maple, sugar maple, and white ash.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 94A and 96 in northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Otsego County, Michigan, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 8 cm (3 inches) (A horizon).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 8 to 28 cm (3 to 11 inches) (Bw horizon)
Albic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 33 cm (11 to 13 inches) (E horizon).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 33 to 46 cm (13 to 18 inches) (E/B horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 46 to 112 cm (18 to 44 inches) (Bt horizon).

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.