LOCATION PLASANBOLA MP PBEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, glassy, isohyperthermic Lithic Haplustands
TYPICAL PEDON: Plasanbola gravelly loam, on a southwest facing, 27 percent slope in a sparse stand of sword grass at an elevation of 137 meters (450 feet). Textures are apparent field textures. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described on June 12, 1999 the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); lithochromic very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) interior, very gravelly ashy loam; weak fine subangular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots throughout; 45 percent very angular 2 to 75 millimeter (0.08 to 3 inch) cinders; strongly acid, pH 5.3 by 1:1 H2O; abrupt smooth boundary. 2.5 to 25 centimeters (1 to 10 inches) thick
Cr-13 centimeters (5 inches); lithochromic brown (10YR 4/3) strongly cemented or welded tuff bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Island of Alamagan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, approximately 200 feet northeast of Patido Village on the west side of the island. GPS data not available.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to lithic contact: 2.5 to 25 centimeters (1 to 10 inches)
Particle size control section:
Rock fragments: 25 to 50 percent gravel cinders
A horizon:
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: ashy gravelly loam or ashy very gravelly loam
Rock fragments: 25 to 50 percent cinders
Reaction: strongly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: volcanic ash and cinders derived from basalt and andesite deposited by fallout.
Landform: crests of ridges that intervene between gullies and canyons on the dissected backslopes and footslopes of stratovolcanic islands.
Slopes: 8 to 130 percent
Elevation: 46 to 762 (150 to 2500 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 26 to 30 degrees C. (79 to 86 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 1778 to 2286 millimeters (70 to 90 in inches)
Precipitation pattern: Monsoonal characterized by a wet season from July through November when moderate to torrential rains occur, and a dry season with substantially less precipitation from December through June.
Frost-free period: 365 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Apilam and the Songsong soils. Apilam and Songsong soils do not have a paralithic contact within 50 centimeters (20 inches) of the soil surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, high or very high runoff, and very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used wildlife habitat. Native and naturalized vegetation includes swordgrass and assorted short grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Mariana Islands. The series is of small extent
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Alamagan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 2002.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon: The zone from 0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches).
Lithic contact: The contact with welded tuff at 13 centimeters (5 inches).
Andic properties: The zone from 0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches)
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist in some part from July through November and much drier from December through June; Ustic moisture regime.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches).
Mineralogy borders on mixed, judgement was excercised to place this soil is glassy.
Taxonomic Version: Second edition Soil Taxonomy, 1999.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Soil Survey Sample Number S99MP-090-083