LOCATION PUUKALA                 HI

Established Series
Rev. MRK-RTG
05/2012

PUUKALA SERIES

The Puukala series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 890 millimeters (35 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C (53 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, amorphic, isomesic Lithic Haplustands

TYPICAL PEDON: Puukala medial silt loam, on a west facing, slightly concave, 13 percent slope under pasture at an elevation of 1311 meters (4300 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures".) The 2C parts of these horizons consist of unconsolidated pahoehoe lava fragments of variable size.

A1--0 to 8 centimeters (0 to 3 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) medial silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many very fine pores; 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 centimeters {2 to 5 inches} thick)

A2--8 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) cobbly medial silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many fine pores; 30 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 8 centimeters {2 to 3} inches thick)

Bw1/2C1--15 to 36 centimeters (6 to 14 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) very cobbly medial silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) dry; massive, loose, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; many roots; many fine pores; 45 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 20 centimeters {5 to 8 inches} thick)

Bw2/2C2--36 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) very cobbly medial silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) dry; massive, loose, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common roots; many very fine pores; 50 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 centimeters {1 to 4 inches} thick)

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

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; from Holualoa Post Office drive north 0.5 miles to 4WD road; drive east and mauka (upslope) 4.5 miles; pedon is located 24 meters (80 feet) south of 4WD road. Kailua Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 38 minutes 39.6 second N. and long. 155 degrees 53 minutes 19.9 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 11 to 14 degrees C (52 to 58 degrees F).
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent by volume of the pedon and range in size from gravel to cobbles.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or dry.
Chroma: 0, 1, or 2 moist or dry.
Texture: Cobbly medial silt loam or medial silt loam.
Structure: Strong granular or moderate subangular blocky.
Soil reaction: Strongly acid or moderately acid (pH 5.1 to 6.0).

Bw/2C horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or 3 dry.
Chroma: 2 moist or 3 dry.
Texture: Very cobbly or cobbly medial silt loam.
Smeariness: Weakly smeary or moderately smeary.
Soil reaction: Moderately acid or slightly acid (pH 5.6 to 6.5).

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Kamawai and Lapa series. Kamawai soils overlie `a`a lava and are moist in the control section from January through July. Lapa soils formed in volcanic ash and glacial till over basalt.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Puukala soils are on upper elevation, leeward slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes at elevations from 1067 to 2133 meters (3500 to 7000 feet). The soils are on all hillslope positions of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to moderately steep pahoehoe lava flows that are 3,000 to 5,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 510 to 1270 millimeters (20 to 50 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from April through October. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1020 to 1780 millimeters (40 to 70 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 10 to 13 degrees C (50 to 56 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: These are Hapuu, Hokukano, Kealoha, Kekake, Manahaa, and Mawae series. Hapuu soils are sandy-skeletal. Hokukano soils are medial. Kealoha soils have a lithic contact at 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches). Kekake soils are organic soils over pahoehoe lava. Manahaa soils have lithic contact at 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches). Mawae soils are organic soils over `a`a lava.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible in depressions on gentle slopes and high to very high on steeper slopes. Permeability is moderately rapid in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), koa (Acacia koa), treefern (Cibotium spp.), alapaio fern (Dryopteris paleacea), puu lehua (Microlaena stipoides), and carpetgrass (Axonopus spp.).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North and South Kona districts, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 161B. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 1971.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - usually moist, but dry in some or all parts for short intermittent periods totaling 90 or more days during the months of October through April in most years (Ustic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 46 centimeters (0 to 18 inches) (A and Bw/2C horizons).
Andic soil properties - from 0 to 46 centimeters (0 to 18 inches) (A and Bw/2C horizons).
Lithic contact - at 46 centimeters (18 inches) (2R horizon).

Edit Log: 11/3/99 Classification revised due to changes in Soil Taxonomy. Old classification: Thixotropic-skeletal, isomesic Hydric Lithic Dystrandepts. Type location moved to a representative site. Competing series updated. MRK
4/09 Andic textural modifiers updated plus minor edits. MRK

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.