LOCATION QUINLIVEN CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, isomesic Typic Haplohumults
TYPICAL PEDON: Quinliven sandy loam - on a west facing slope of 5 percent under redwood, Douglas-fir, Bishop pine and tanoak at 290 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on October 15, 1984, the soil was slightly moist throughout.
Oi--5 inches to 0 ; decomposing litter of redwood, Douglas fir and bishop pine.
E--0 to 4 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; slightly brittle when moist and slightly smeary; common very fine, many fine and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
EB--4 to 11 inches; variegated white (10YR 8/1) and very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; slightly brittle when moist and slightly smeary; few very fine, common fine and medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and few very fine and fine interstitial pores; extremely acid (pH 4.2); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 18 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; moderate very fine,fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and fine interstitial pores; few thin and moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--18 to 32 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; moderate very fine, fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bt3--32 to 51 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6)moist; many fine medium and coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) mottles, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine angular blocky structure, slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few thin and moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
Bt4--51 to 60 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/8) moist; many fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; many fine prominent light gray (2.5Y 7/2) mottles, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; weak fine angular blocky structure, slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
C--60 to 64 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) sandy loam; red (2.5YR 4/8) moist; common fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; extremely acid (pH 4.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Mendocino County, California; about 2000 feet north and about 1150 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 20, T.18N., R.17W., MDBM, Fort Bragg quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 40 to 70 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 56 degrees F. The difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature varies from 3 to 6 degrees F. The soil between the depths of 7 and 17 inches is moist in all parts from November 1 to August 15 and is dry in some part from September 1 to October 1 in most years. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 50 percent clay. The organic carbon content ranges from 12 to 15 kg in the upper cubic meter of the solum.
The E horizon is 2.5Y 7/2; 10YR 6/1, 6/2, 7/1, 7/2, 7/3, 8/1, 5YR 7/1, 8/1 or N 8/0. Moist color is 10YR 4/2, 5/1, 5/2, 6/1, 6/2, 6/3, 7/2; 5YR 6/1 or 7/1. The color is mainly determined by uncoated sand and silt particles. Clay content is 5 to 15 percent. This horizon ranges from slightly through moderately smeary and in the lower part is slightly or moderately brittle when moist. Reaction is very strongly through moderately acid.
The EB horizon is 10YR 6/4, 6/6, 7/1, 7/2, 7/3, 8/1; or 7.5YR 5/6. Moist color is 10YR 5/2, 5/4, 5/6, 6/2, 6/3; or 7.5YR 4/6. The horizon is usually variegated with a lower chroma (less than 3) and a higher chroma (3 or greater) color. It is sandy loam or loam with 10 to 20 percent clay. It is slightly or moderately smeary and is slightly through strongly brittle. Reaction is extremely through strongly acid (pH 4.0 to 5.5). Some pedons lack a BE horizon.
The Bt horizon is 10YR 5/4, 5/6, 5/8, 6/4, 6/6, 6/8, 7/6; 7.5YR 5/6, 6/4, 6/6, 6/8 or 5YR 5/6. Moist color is 10YR 4/4, 4/6, 5/4, 5/6, 5/8, 6/6, 6/8; 7.5YR 4/4, 4/6, 5/4, 5/6, 5/8, 6/8; 5YR 4/6, 4/8, 5/6 or 2.5YR 4/8. Mottles are 2.5Y 7/2; 10YR 6/8; 7.5YR 4/8, 5/6; 5YR 5/6 or 2.5YR 4/8. Moist color of mottles is 2.5Y 6/2; 10YR 5/6, 5/8; 7.5YR 4/6, 5/6, 5/8; 5YR 4/6; 2.5YR 4/6 or 5/8. Mottles with chromas of 2, if they occur, are between the depth of 50 and 70 inches. It is loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay or clay with a clay content of 20 to 60 percent. Base saturation ranges from 5 to 35 percent (sum). Reaction is extremely through strongly acid (pH 4.0 to 5.5). Organic carbon content in the upper 6 inches ranges from 0.9 to 1.4 percent.
The C horizon is 2.5Y 8/4; 10YR 6/4, 7/4, 8/4; 7.5YR 6/4, 6/8; 5YR 5/8, 6/8 or 7/6. Moist color is 2.5Y 7/4; 10YR 5/4, 6/4, 7/6; 7.5YR 5/4, 5/6, 5/8; 5YR 5/8, 6/8; or 2.5YR 4/8. Mottles are 2.5Y 8/4; 10YR 7/6; 7.5YR 5/6, 6/6 or 5YR 6/8. Moist color of mottles is 2.5Y 7/4; 10YR 6/8; 7.5YR 5/6 or 5YR 5/8. It is sandy loam or loamy sand with a clay content of 5 to 20 percent. Base saturation ranges from 5 to 30 percent (sum). Reaction is extremely through strongly acid (pH 4.0 to 5.5).
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bullgulch (T OR), Hunterscove (T OR), Loeb (T OR), Macklyn (T OR), Vandamme (CA), Wadecreek (OR) and Winchuck (OR) series. Bullgulch, Loeb, Macklyn, Wadecreek and Winchuck soils have umbric epipedons. In addition, Loeb and Vandamme soils are deep, and Macklyn soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Hunterscove soils are 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact. Vandamme soils are 40 to 60 inches to paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Quinliven soils occur on marine terraces. Slopes are dominantly 2 to 9 percent on the terrace tops, with slopes of 9 to 50 percent occurring on the terrace shoulders and in drainageways that dissect the terraces. Elevations are 100 to 1000 feet. The soil formed in marine sediments. The climate is humid with cool foggy summers and cool moist winters. A strong marine influence limits the diurnal and annual range of temperature. Mean annual precipitation varies from 40 to 65 inches. Mean January temperature is 48 degrees F.; mean July temperature is 57 degrees F.; and mean annual temperature is 53 degrees F. The frost-free period is 290 to 365 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Vandamme series, and the Caspar and Ferncreek series. Caspar and Ferncreek soils occur on similar landscape positions. Caspar soils have fine-loamy particle-size control sections. Ferncreek soils have colors with chromas of 2 or less between the depths of 30 and 50 inches. Caspar soils are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. The soil is saturated with water between the depths of 48 and 72 inches for very brief periods of time, above the B/C horizon interface or above the slowly permeable layers of the subsoil, during the months of December through April in most years. Surface runoff under bare soil conditions is slow through rapid. Permeability is slow in the subsoil and moderately rapid in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for commercial timber production, homesite development, recreation, wildlife habitat and watershed. Vegetation consists of redwood, Douglas-fir, Bishop pine and tanoak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern coastal California. The series is not extensive. MLRA 4.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mendocino County, California, Western part, 1993.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 4 inches (E)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 11 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4)
Many areas mapped as the Quinliven soil were mapped as the Mendocino soil by the California Soil Vegetation Survey 1947-1950.
The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
ADDITIONAL DATA: U.C. Davis Morphology lab analysis 85-045-3(1612)