LOCATION PENNEKAMP FL
Established Series
Rev. GWH
10/2018
PENNEKAMP SERIES
The Pennekamp series consists of well drained soils that are shallow to rippable coral limestone. Pennekamp soils formed in material weathered from the coral limestone, usually with a thin overburden of sapric organic material. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, isohyperthermic Lithic Haprendolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pennekamp gravelly muck on a tropical hammock (colors are for moist soil).
Oa--0 to 3 inches; black (10YR 2/1) gravelly muck; 15 percent fiber unrubbed and less than 5 percent rubbed; 40 percent by weight of mineral material; massive; very friable; many fine, medium, and large roots; 5 percent by volume of coral fragments larger than 3 inches and 15 percent smaller than 3 inches; medium acid; abrupt smooth boundary (1 to 4 inches thick).
A--3 to 8 inches; very dark gray (5YR 3/1) very gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; 50 percent by volume of coral fragments smaller than 3 inches, 10 percent larger than 3 inches; many fine and medium roots; mildly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary (4 to 12 inches thick).
R--8 inches; soft to hard but rippable coral limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Monroe County, Florida; Key Largo; 600 feet east of U. S. Hwy 1, 100 feet south of service road entrance at Pennekamp State
Park. 800 feet north and 150 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 14, T. 61 S., R. 39 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock is 4 to 16 inches.
The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is muck or gravelly muck with 5 to 25 percent by volume of coral fragments. Reaction is medium or slightly acid.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is very gravelly loam, very gravelly silt loam, extremely gravelly loam, or extremely gravelly silt loam with 35 to 75 percent by volume of coral fragments and more than 45 percent silt. Reaction is mildly to moderately alkaline.
The R horizon consists of soft to hard but rippable coral limestone.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Keyvaca series in the same family, the
Matecumbe series in a similar family, and the
Biscayne and
Krome series in hyperthermic families. Keyvaca soils formed over oolitic limestone and have less than 45 percent silt. Matecumbe soils are organic soils.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pennekamp soils are on tropical hammock uplands. Elevations are dominantly 5 to 15 feet above 1929 NGVD. Pennekamp soils are subject to rare flooding from hurricanes and other tropical storms. The mean annual temperature is about 78 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the moderately well drained organic
Matecumbe and the somewhat poorly drained marly
Saddlebunch soils on slightly lower landforms and the poorly drained marly
Cudjoe,
Lignumvitae, and
Keywest soils and the very poorly drained organic
Islamorada,
Keylargo, and
Tavernier soils on lower landforms.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: These soils are well drained with a high water table of 3.5 to 5 feet during wet periods of most years. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas of the soil are used for urban and recreational development. Native vegetation includes gumbo limbo, poisonwood, strangler fig, paradise tree, canella winterana, wild tamarind, and Deering's tree cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Approximately 7,000 acres of Pennekamp soils are on the Florida Keys. These soils may occur on other tropical islands.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Florida, 1989.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.