LOCATION PUALI                   HI

Established Series
MRK
06/2012

PUALI SERIES

The Puali series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 10 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 2032 millimeters (80 inches) and the mean annual temperature about 13 degrees C. (55 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isomesic Lithic Hydrudands

TYPICAL PEDON: Puali highly organic hydrous silt loam, on a southeast facing, concave, 4 percent slope, under forest, at an elevation of 1,357 meters (4,450 feet). (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures. pH measured with organic dyes. When described on December 15, 1999, the soil was moist to 41 centimeters {16 inches} and wet, non-satiated below.)

Oe -- 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); moderately decomposed plant material; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 centimeters {1 to 4 inches} thick)

A -- 10 to 25 centimeters (4 to 10 inches); black (10YR 2/1) highly organic hydrous silt loam; moderate fine and medium granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular and many very fine vesicular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches) thick)

Bw -- 25 to 46 centimeters (10 to 18 inches); 75 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) cobbly hydrous silty clay loam; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; moderately smeary; common very fine and fine and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent subangular gravel and 15 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt irregular boundary. (20 to 25 centimeters {8 to 10 inches} thick)

2R -- 46 centimeters (18 inches); hard, massive pahoehoe lava.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; from Kahuku Ranch headquarters drive 0.9 miles east on Highway 11, turn north onto ranch road and drive upslope 6.8 miles, turn east and drive 1.3 miles to eastern edge of 1926 lava flow, turn south and drive downslope for 0.4 miles. Pedon is located 216 meters (710 feet) east in Kau Forest Reserve at an elevation of 1,357 meters (4,450 feet). Puu o Keokeo Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 9 minutes 9.3 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 40 minutes 46.4 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 5 to 50 centimeters (2 to 20 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 12 to 15 degrees C. (54 to 59 degrees F.)
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent by volume of the pedon and range from gravel to cobble size lava rocks.

A horizon
Chroma: 1or 2 moist.
Texture: Highly organic hydrous silt loam or silty clay loam.
Structure: Weak to strong granular.
Smeariness: Weakly or moderately smeary.
Rupture resistance: Very friable or friable.
Stickiness: Slightly sticky or moderately sticky.
Plasticity: Non-plastic or slightly plastic.

Bw horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Rupture resistance: Very friable or friable.
Plasticity: Slightly plastic or moderately plastic.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Puali soils are on upper elvation, winward slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano at elevations from 1,220 to 1,524 meters (4000 to 5000 feet). The soils are in depressions of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to gently sloping pahoehoe lava flows that are 1,500 to 3,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 10 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,524 to 2,540 millimeters (60 to 100 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 640 to 1,270 meters (25 to 50 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 11 to 15 degrees C. (52 to 59 degrees F.) The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C. (11 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Kahaluu, Lalaau and Pahipa series. Kahaluu and Lalaau soils are organic soils. Pahipa soils have a lithic contact at 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) and are in `a`a lava.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is high to very high. Permeability is slow in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for forest reserve and wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), hapuu (Cibotium spp.), and kopiko (Psychotria hawaiiensis).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kau District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 160. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 2012. Proposed 2000.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - moist and not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days in most years (Udic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties - 10 to 46 centimeters (4 to 18 inches) (A and Bw horizons).
Lithic contact - 46 centimeters (18 inches).
Hemic materials - 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches) (Oe horizon).
Umbric epipedon - 10 to 46 centimeters (4 to 18 inches) (A and Bw horizon).

Edit log: 4/09 MRK. Textural modifiers updated plus minor edits.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.