LOCATION OSSMER WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Aquic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ossmer silt loam - on a north-facing 1 percent slope in a wooded area at an elevation of about 1430 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
E--4 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak medium platy structure; very friable; many fine roots; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) worm casts; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron accumulations in the matrix; about 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
E/B--6 to 11 inches; about 80 percent brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam (E), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium platy structure; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few fine faint light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; very friable; extends as tongues into and surrounds remnants of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam (Bt); weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; few prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and and few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
B/E--11 to 26 inches; about 60 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam (Bt); weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; few prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletionsin the matrix; penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam (E). very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium platy structure; very friable; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletionsin the matrix; few fine roots; few fine prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) concretions (iron and manganese oxides); about 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Glossic horizon 2 to 30 inches thick)
2Bt1--26 to 34 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; friable; tends to part along horizontal cleavage planes inherited from the parent material; few fine roots; few distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) coatings of silt and sand, mostly on vertical faces of peds and in pores; common fine prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) concretions (iron and manganese oxides); about 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2Bt2--34 to 38 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; tends to part along horizontal cleavage planes inherited from the parent material; few fine roots; common distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay bridges between mineral grains; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) coatings of silt and sand mostly on vertical faces of peds; many medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine prominent very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2) concretions (iron and manganese oxides); about 8 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
3C--38 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) stratified sand and gravelly sand; single grain; loose; few medium distinct brown (10YR 5/3) iron depletions and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation, both in the matrix; an average of about 10 percent gravel; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wisconsin; about 0.5 miles south of Bloomville; 450 feet west and 2050 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 6, T. 32N., R. 8 E. USGS Bloomville, Wis. Quad. Latitude 45 degrees, 17 minutes 17 seconds N. Longitude 89 degrees 31 minues 46 seconds W. NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to sandy outwash ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of the silty mantle ranges from 12 to 40 inches. The coarse-loamy part of the particle size control section averages 8 to 17 percent clay and 15 to 50 percent fine sand or coarser. Volume of gravel ranges from 0 to 5 percent in the silty mantle and from 0 to 40 percent in the loamy subsoil. Volume of gravel in the sandy outwash ranges from 3 to 45 percent as a weighted average but ranges from 0 to 65 percent in individual strata. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout. A few stones are on the surface or in the solum in some areas. Reaction typically ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid in the solum, but ranges to neutral in the upper part, where the soil is limed. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid in the substratum. Free carbonates are absent to depths of more than 5 feet. Redox accumulations are typically throughout the soil below the A horizon. Redox depletions with chroma of 2 or less are within the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon. Saturation occurs in the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon at some time in most years.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. Cultivated pedons have an Ap horizon with hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4 and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture of the A or AP horizon is silt loam.
The E horizon has value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silt loam or silt.
Ossmer soils have a glossic horizon. Horizonation has a wide range depending on the thickness of the silty mantle and the extent to which eluviation has occurred. Therefore, there can be E/B, B/E, 2E/B, or 2B/E horizons singly or in combination, with or without Bt or 2Bt horizons.
The E part of the E/B or B/E horizons has color and texture like the E horizon described above.
The Bt part of the E/B or B/E horizons, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. Texture is silt loam.
Some pedons have a Bt horizon with color and texture like the Bt part described above.
The 2E/B or 2B/E horizons contain less than 50 percent fine sand or coarser or are less than 5 inches thick. The 2E part of the 2E/B or 2B/E horizons, has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam or the gravelly or very gravelly analogs.
The 2Bt part of the 2E/B or 2B/E horizons, has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 3 to 8. Texture is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the gravelly or very gravelly analogs.
The 2Bt horizon has color and texture like the 2Bt part described above. Some pedons have a 2Btg horizon with dominant chroma of 2. The 2B contains less than 50 percent fine sand or coarser or is less than 5 inches thick.
Some pedons have a 3Bt, 3Btg, 3BC, or 3BCg horizon with hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 3 to 6; and chroma of 1 to 8 (value of 3 does not occur with chromas of 1, 2, or 3); Texture is loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand, or coarse sand or the gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly analogs.
The 3C horizon has color like the 3Bt horizon described above. Texture is typically stratified sand, coarse sand, or the gravelly or very gravelly analogs, but some individual strata may be extremely gravelly. Some pedons have strata of loamy sand or loamy coarse sand or the gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly analogs.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. A similar soil is the Poskin series. Poskin soils average 18 to 27 percent clay and less than 15 percent fin sand or coarser in the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Formed in 20 to 40 inches of loess or silty alluvium and in loamy alluvium underlain by stratified sandy outwash.
Landform: Outwash plains, stream terraces, outwash terraces, glacial lake plains, glacial drainageways, and outwash areas of moraines.
Slope: 0 to 3 percent.
Elevation: 800 to 1950 feet.
Mean annual air temperature: 39 to 45 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 28 to 33 inches.
Frost-free days: 90 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Antigo, Billyboy, Minocqua, and Sconsin soils. The well drained Antigo soils, the moderately well drained Billyboy and Sconsin soils, and the poorly and very poorly drained Minocqua soils form a drainage sequence with Ossmer soils. Antigo, Billyboy(T), and Sconsin soils are on higher or more sloping landscape positions. Minocqua soils are in depressions and drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to low. Permeability is moderate in the silty and loamy mantle and rapid or very rapid in the sandy outwash. These soils have an apparent seasonal high water table at a depth of 1 to 2.5 feet at some time from September to June in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for woodland. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest. Timber stands are mostly red maple, balsam fir, and quaking aspen, but sugar maple, white ash, yellow birch, paper birch, and American hornbeam are in most stands. Some areas have been cleared and are used for cropland or pastureland. Common crops are corn, small grains, and hay.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Wisconsin. LRR K, MLRA 90A, and MLRA 90B. These soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, Wisconsin, 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section - 11 to 31 inches.
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 11 inches (A, E, E/B).
Albic horizon - 4 to 11 inches (E, E part of the E/B).
Glossic horizon - 6 to 26 inches (E/B, B/E).
Argillic horizon - 11 to 38 inches (B/E, 2Bt1, 2Bt2).
Redoximorphic concentrations - oxidized color features in the zone from 4 to 60 inches.
Redoximorphic depletions - reduced color features in the zone from 6 to 60 inches.
Lithologic discontinuity - at the upper boundary of the 2Bt1 horizon at 26 inches and at the upper boundary of the 3C horizon at 38 inches.
Aquic conditions in the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon.