LOCATION MOTEADO PR
Established Series
BCD-HRM; Rev. GRB
10/2021
MOTEADO SERIES
The Moteado series consists of deep, poorly drained soils on narrow concave ridgetops and side slopes of uplands. They formed in residuum and colluvium that weathered from andesitic to basaltic, marine deposited volcanic and volcanoclastic sandstone and mudstone of the Hato Puerco, Fajardo, and Tabonuco formations. Near the type location, the mean annual precipitation is about 200 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 65 degrees F. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, kaolinitic, isothermic Humic Haplaquox
TYPICAL PEDON: Moteado clay - forested. (Colors are for moist conditions.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; undecomposed organic accumulations consisting of a leaf mat; many fine and many medium roots with up to 3 inches of aerial roots; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
A--1 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; firm; sticky, plastic; many fine and medium roots; common fine interstitial and tubular pores; common large wormcasts filled with grayish brown (10YR 5/2) material; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bog1--6 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; sticky, plastic; common fine and medium roots; common medium interstitial and tubular pores; many distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) coatings on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common large wormcasts filled with dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) material; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation along root channels; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; common coarse distinct greenish gray (5GY 6/1) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bog2--13 to 22 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; very sticky, very plastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) coatings on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common large wormcasts about 1/3 inch in diameter, coated with olive (5Y 4/4) material, and filled with dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) material; many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) and common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; common medium distinct gray (5Y 5/1) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bog horizons is 10 to 40 inches)
Bo1--22 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) clay; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; firm; sticky, very plastic; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) coatings on vertical faces of peds; common large wormcasts about 1/3 inch in diameter, coated with strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) material, and filled with gray (10YR 5/1) material; about 1/3 inch thin discontinuous brittle layer; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; few coarse distinct greenish gray (5G 6/1) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bo2--27 to 41 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; sticky, very plastic; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) coatings on vertical faces of peds; few large wormcasts about 1/3 inch in diameter coated with strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) material and filled with gray (10YR 5/1) material; few fine irregular-shaped soft masses of iron-manganese; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and common coarse prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bo horizons is 20 to 40 inches)
B'og--41 to 54 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) coatings on vertical faces of peds and along old root channels; few large wormcasts about 1/3 inch in diameter coated with strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) material and filled with gray (10YR 5/1) material; few fine rounded soft masses of iron-manganese; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
R--54 + inches; unweathered volcanic sandstone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Grande Municipio; Noreste SWCD, Puerto Rico; Caribbean National Forest. Approximately 3,000 feet east-southeast of the termination of Road 911 on West Fork Trail past the creeks and after the Trail turns south and levels out on the contour, then downslope. El Yunque topographic quadrangle; lat. 18 degrees 18 minutes 46 seconds N.; long. 66 degrees 48 minutes 54 seconds W.; PRD 1940.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to volcanic sandstone bedrock ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 0 to 30 percent, by volume, throughout the profile. Cobbles and stones cover from 0 to 15 percent of the surface area. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid throughout the profile.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. Redoximorphic features in shades of brown and gray range from none to common. Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay, clay, their cobbly or stony analogs.
The Bog horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 or less; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 7. Redoximorphic features in shades of brown and gray range from few to many. Texture is clay loam, clay, their gravelly or very gravelly analogs.
The Bo horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of brown, yellow, red, and gray range from few to many. Texture is clay loam, clay, their gravelly or very gravelly analogs.
The B'og horizon, where present, has colors and textures similar to the Bog horizon.
The R layer is composed of unweathered hard volcanic sandstone bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moteado soils are on concave summits and side slopes of mountains in uplands that receive constant precipitation. The elevation is more than 2,000 feet. The climate is humid tropical. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from 170 to 230 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 60 to 70 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
Dwarf,
Guayabota,
Los Guineos,
Palm, and
Yunque soils. Dwarf soils are on higher positions, are isomesic, very deep, and have a histic epipedon. Guayabota soils are shallow to bedrock. The well drained Los Guineos soils are very deep and have less clay in the subsoil. Palm soils are very deep and have clayey-skeletal control sections. The moderately well drained Yunque soils are very deep and have less clay in the subsoil.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Watershed protection, research, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Forested with over 200 native and introduced woody species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Caribbean National Forest, Puerto Rico. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Caribbean National Forest, Puerto Rico, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - zone from 0 to 6 inches.
Oxic horizon - zone from 6 to 54 inches.
Bedrock feature - zone at 54 inches (R layer).
The soil horizon depths were revised on 10/2021 to ensure the description began at the soil surface.
HYDRIC SOIL INDICATORS: F3.
MLRA: 270.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.