LOCATION NESTER MI+WI

Established Series
Rev. RWJ-WEF-MLK
08/2012

NESTER SERIES

The Nester series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in till on ground moraines and end moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 6.7 degrees C (44 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, frigid Oxyaquic Glossudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Nester sandy loam, on a 2 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 256 meters (840 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. When described on September 22, 1994 the soil was moist throughout.)

Ap--0 to 28 cm (11 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [8 to 28 cm (3 to 11 inches) thick]

E/B--28 to 43 cm (11 to 17 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam (E), light gray (10YR 7/2) dry, weak thin platy structure; occupies about 60 percent of the horizon as tongues surrounding brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; weak medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay films on vertical faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 inches) thick]

Bt--43 to 86 cm (17 to 34 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [20 to 61 cm (8 to 24 inches) thick]

C1--86 to 127 cm (34 to 50 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coats on vertical faces; few fine faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; about 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary [25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) thick]

C2--127 to 203 cm (50 to 80 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coatings on vertical faces; few fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; about 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline

TYPE LOCATION: Iosco County, Michigan; about 6 miles north of Whittemore; about 2,540 feet south and 300 feet west of the northeast corner sec. 9, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., Reno Township; USGS Hale SE topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 18 minutes 48 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 49 minutes 31 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to redox concentrations: 76 to 102 cm (30 to 40 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 51 to 91 cm (20 to 36 inches)
Rock fragment content: 2 to 15 percent gravel and 0 to 3 percent cobbles throughout
Argillic horizon: weighted average of 35 to 45 percent clay and 15 to 45 percent sand coarser than very fine sand
Mean annual soil temperature: 6.7 to 8.3 degrees C (44 to 47 degrees F)

Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loamy sand; severely eroded pedons are clay loam, silty clay loam or clay
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: 2.5 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 1 to 2, moist or dry
Texture: loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E part of the E/B horizon (and the E horizon in some pedons):
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 moist, 6 to 8 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3, moist or dry
Texture: silt loam, loam, clay loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

B part of the E/B horizon and the Bt horizon (argillic horizon):
Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 8
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral; some sub-horizons are slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a BC horizon with texture and color similar to the C horizon.

C horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: clay loam or silty clay loam; some pedons have thin pockets or strata of gravelly sand, sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam
Clay content: 30 to 40 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Kent and Negwegon series. Kent soils have more than 45 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Negwegon soils have less than 15 percent fine sand and coarser sand in the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Nester soils are on ground moraines and end moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. These soils formed in till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 813 mm (28 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 5.6 to 7.8 degrees C (42 to 46 degrees F). Mean summer temperature is about 18.3 degrees C (65 degrees F). Frost-free period is 100 to 140 days. Elevation is 183 to 427 meters (600 to 1,400 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Curtisville, Kawkawlin, Kent, McBride, Montcalm, and Sims soils. The well drained Curtisville soils do not have redox features above 102 cm (40 inches) and are on steeper slopes. The somewhat poorly drained Kawkawlin soils have redox depletions in the argillic horizon, and are in lower landscape positions. The McBride soils and the well drained Montcalm soils have coarser textures and are on similar or slightly higher landscape positions. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Sims soils are on lower landscape positions. The competing Kent soils are on similar position.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Depth to the top of a perched seasonal high water table ranges from 76 to 107 cm (2.5 to 3.5 feet) between November and May in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low. Permeability is slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part of the gentler slopes is cropped to hay and small grains, and some corn. Some areas are in apple orchards, pasture or forest. Native vegetation is northern hardwood forests of American basswood, American beech, American elm, sugar maple, with some white ash, quaking aspen, and white oak.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 94A, 94B, 95A, 96, and 98 in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin. This series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ogemaw County, Michigan, 1923.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (11 inches) (Ap horizon).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 43 cm (11 to 17 inches) (E/B horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 43 to 86 cm (17 to 34 inches) (Bt horizon).

The well drained phase of the series is no longer within the series concept. The Curtisville series replaces the well drained phase.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.