LOCATION MUSTINKA MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Mustinka silty clay loam on a plane slope in a glacial lake plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--9 to 14 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many fine roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons 7 to 16 inches thick)
Btg1--14 to 18 inches; dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; firm; common fine roots; common discontinuous prominent black (N 2/0) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Btg2--18 to 24 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; firm; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; common fine roots; common discontinuous faint dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Btg horizons 9 to 28 inches thick)
Bkg--24 to 36 inches; brownish gray (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; firm; common fine distinct gray (5Y 6/1) Fe depletions and common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; many fine masses of carbonate; common fine masses of iron-manganese; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
2Bkgy--36 to 52 inches; brownish gray (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; firm; common fine distinct gray (5Y 6/1) Fe depletions and common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; many fine masses of carbonate; common fine nests of gypsum; common fine iron-manganese masses; about 3 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
2Cgy--52 to 80 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay loam; massive with few vertical geogenetic fractures 1 to 3 feet apart; firm; common fine faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) Fe depletions and common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; common fine nests of gypsum; common fine iron-manganese masses; about 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Wilkin County, Minnesota; about 6 miles east of Kent; 300 feet west and 100 feet north of the southeast corner of Section 2, T.134 N. R.47 W., USGS Wahpeton NE quadrangle, Lat. 46 degrees 26 minutes 33 seconds N. and Long. 96 degrees 33 minutes 5 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 12 to 24 inches thick and commonly extends into the upper part of the argillic horizon. The depth to carbonates is 18 to 35 inches. Some pedons do not have gypsum. The thickness of the upper mantle is 20 to 50 inches. The upper mantle typically does not have rock fragments and the underlying glacial till has 1 to 8 percent rock fragments mostly gravel size. Linear extensibility is less than 6 cm in the upper meter.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 through 2. It is silty clay loam, silt loam, silty clay or clay loam. The reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Btg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, or is neutral, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 0 through 3. It is silty clay, clay, or silty clay loam. The average clay content ranges from 35 to 60 percent. The reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a Btkg horizon with color and texture similar to the Btg
The Bkg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silty clay loam, clay, silty clay or silt loam. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Some pedons have a Cg horizon with color and textures similar to the Bkg horizon. It is stratified or varved in some pedons.
The 2Bkg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 through 3. It is clay loam, loam or silty clay loam. It is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline. The clay content ranges from 18 to 35 percent and the sand content ranges from 15 to 30 percent.
The 2Cgy or 2Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 through 3. It is clay loam, silty clay loam, or loam. The clay content ranges from 18 to 35 percent and the sand content ranges from 15 to 30 percent. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Badger and Lindaas soils. Badger soils have carbonates at depths of greater than 35 inches. Lindaas soils do not have rock fragments in the series control section and formed entirely in lacustrine or colluvial sediments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mustinka soils have plane or slightly concave slopes with gradient of 0 to 1 percent on glacial lake plains. They are formed in 20 to 50 inches of silty and clayey lacustrine sediment and calcareous loamy glacial till. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 24 inches. Frost free days range from 110 to 140. Elevation above sea level ranges from 785 to 1000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Doran Hamerly, Roliss and Vallers soils. The somewhat poorly drained Doran soils are on slightly higher broad flats. The somewhat poorly drained Hamerly soils are higher lying and calcareous throughout. The poorly drained Roliss and Vallers soils have carbonates typically throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is negligible or low. Permeability is slow. A seasonal high water table occurs at depths of .5 to 1.5 foot during November to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Mustinka soils are cultivated to small grain, corn and soybeans. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Minnesota. It is moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to a depth of 18 inches (Ap, A and Btg1 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 14 inches to 24 inches (Btg1 and Btg2 horizon); aquic condition - based on 2 chroma matrix with high chroma redox concentrations below the mollic epipedon.
The type location is from Wilkin County to better represent the series concept within MLRA-56. This soil will replace the Lindaas series in Wilkin County on the lake plain in the future.
The reference to geogenetic fractures in the C horizon is an attempt to recognize the "rebound" fractures commonly associated with glacial till. In the past these fractures were called platy-like structure, soil fragments, etc. The term geogenetic is closer to the actual features and tell the user additional information about water movement, carbonate precipitation, etc.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record number MN0723