LOCATION ROSMAN NC+TN
Established Series
JMK: Rev. BPS
02/2011
ROSMAN SERIES
The Rosman series consists of very deep, well drained to moderately well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils on flood plains in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. They formed in loamy alluvium derived from igneous, high-grade metamorphic or low-grade metasedimentary geology. Average annual precipitation is about 65 inches and mean annual temperature is about 53 degrees F., near the type location. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluventic Humudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Rosman loam--cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine flakes of mica; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
A--10 to 15 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; few fine flakes of mica; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--15 to 21 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bw2--21 to 35 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
Bw3--35 to 50 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; many medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles in lower portions; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
C--50 to 60 inches; stratified sand and gravel; single grained; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Transylvania County, North Carolina. About 3 miles east of Brevard, 1/4 mile northwest of Pisgah Forest Post Office, in cultivated field 200 feet east of abandoned church.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 35 to 60 inches or more. The soil ranges from strongly acid to neutral in the A and upper Bw or C horizons and from strongly acid to slightly acid in the lower horizons. Content of flakes of mica ranges from few to many. The loamy horizons extend to depths of at least 40 inches. Strata of contrasting textures may occur in the C horizon below a depth of 40 inches. Gravel content is less than 15 percent by volume in the upper 40 inches and may range up to 50 percent in horizons below 40 inches.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. The A horizon is loam, silt loam, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam. Some pedons have an Ab horizon that has the same color and texture range as the A horizon.
The Bw horizon where present, has hue of 2.5Y to 5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8. Few to many mottles of chroma 2 or less are below a depth of 20 inches in some pedons. Texture is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 8. Mottles, if they occur, are in shades of red, brown, yellow, olive, or gray. Texture is variable, ranging from coarse sand to loam in the fine-earth fraction. Strata containing 15 to 50 percent by volume gravel and cobbles are below a depth of 40 inches in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rosman soils are on nearly level flood plains in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Elevation ranges from about 1,200 to 2,800 feet. They formed in loamy alluvium derived from igneous, high-grade metamorphic or low-grade metasedimentary geology. Mean annual temperature ranges from 46 to 57 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation ranges from about 45 to 70 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are
Biltmore,
Iotla,
Reddies,
Toxaway,
Transylvania series are on nearly level flood plains and
Dillard,
Hemphill, and
Statler on low trraces. Biltmore and Iotla soils have an ochric epipedon and do not have a cambic horizon. Dillard, Hemphill, and Statler soils have argillic horizons. Reddies soils are on flood plains along small streams. Toxaway soils are in depressed parts of the flood plains. Transylvania soils are in the same landscape positions as Rosman soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to moderately well drained; slow runoff; moderate internal drainage; moderately rapid permeability. Most areas of these soils are subject to occasional to frequent flooding. A few areas are protected by flood control structures and are subject to rare flooding.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is cleared and in cultivation. The chief crops are corn, truck crops, hay, ornamentals, and pasture grasses. In forested areas common trees are yellow-poplar, eastern white pine, American sycamore, river birch, red maple, northern red oak, willow oak, and black walnut. Understory plants include rhododendron, ironwood, flowering dogwood, alder, greenbrier, and switchcane.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B of North Carolina, Tennessee, and possiblyVirginia, . This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Henderson County, North Carolina; 1974.
REMARKS: The July, 1991 revision recognizes that a cambic horizon is not required, although many pedons of Rosman have a cambic horizon.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 15 inches (Ap and A horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 15 to 50 inches (Bw1, Bw2, and Bw3 horizons). This is not a required diagnostic horizon for the Rosman series.
MLRA=130B SIR=NC0024
Revised 02/11-BPS: Taxonomic Classification -- 11th Keys, update competing and associated series, MLRA clarification
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.