LOCATION ROLISS MN+ND
Established Series
RBH-CJH
07/2014
ROLISS SERIES
The Roliss series consists of very deep, poorly and very poorly drained soils formed in loamy calcareous till on lake plains and moraines. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 41 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is 22 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Roliss loam with a plane north facing slope of less than 1 percent on a lake plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) redoximorphic concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; few very fine roots; 4 percent gravel; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--9 to 14 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay loam; dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) redoximorphic concentrations; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; few very fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons 7 to 20 inches thick)
Bg--14 to 20 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) redoximorphic concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 14 inches thick)
Cg1--20 to 45 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; friable; few very fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Cg2--45 to 59 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; firm; few very fine irregularly shaped white (10YR 8/1) masses of carbonate; 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Cg3--59 to 70 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) loam; common to many fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine yellowish red (5YR 5/8) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; firm; few fine irregularly shaped white (10YR 8/1) masses of carbonate; 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Cg4--70 to 82 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine yellowish red (5YR 5/8) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; firm; few discontinuous distinct black (2.5Y 2.5/1) manganese stains on faces of peds and in pores; 3 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Polk County, Minnesota; 2350 feet west and 560 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 15, T. 151 N., R. 39 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the mollic epipedon typically is 7 to 20 inches. These soils typically are calcareous throughout but some pedons do not have carbonates in the upper 10 inches. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline. The series control section contains up to 15 percent rock fragments. In some pedons a discontinuous gravelly band up to 5 inches in thickness is in or at the base of the A or B horizon.
Typically, an Oa horizon up to 8 inches thick is present in depressional areas.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0 to 2. It does not have redoximorphic features in some pedons. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, or fine sandy loam. An AB horizon as much as 8 inches thick is in some pedons.
The Bg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. It has distinct or prominent high chroma redoximorphic concentrations that have 10YR or redder hue. Texture is loam, clay loam, silty clay loam or fine sandy loam. It has gypsum in some pedons. Some pedons have a 2Bg horizon.
Some pedons have a Bkyg or 2Bkyg horizon up to 14 inches thick beginning at depths of between 16 and 30 inches that qualifies as a calcic horizon. When present they have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. They have distinct or prominent redoximorphic features. Texture is loam or clay loam. The calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 20 to 35 percent.
The Cg or 2Cg horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is loam, clay loam or silty clay loam. They are stratified with 1/8 to 1/2 inch bands of clay in some pedons. Distinct or prominent redoximorphic features are common but may be absent in the lower part.
Some pedons have a BCyg or 2BCyg horizon with the same range of color and texture as the C horizon. They have a calcium carbonate equivalent of 12 to 25 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Fulmer,
Tew and
Wisner series. Fulmer soils occur in areas with less than 14 inches of precipitation and at elevations of more than 4,000 feet. Tew soils occur in areas with less than 12 inches of precipitation and at elevations of more than 5,000 feet. In addition, Tew soils are noncalcareous at depths below 15 to 30 inches. Wisner soils occur in areas with more than 28 inches of precipitation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Roliss soils are on plane and slightly concave positions primarily on lake plains. They also occur on moraines. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. They formed in calcareous till on lake plains. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 36 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 27 inches. Frost-free days range from 88 to 150. Elevation above sea level ranges from 785 to 1950 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Foxhome,
Hamerly,
Kittson,
Mavie,
Rockwell and
Vallers soils. Foxhome and Kittson soils are moderately well drained and are on higher lying terrain. Hamerly soils are somewhat poorly drained and have a calcic horizon above a depth of 16 inches. Mavie, Rockwell and Vallers soils have similar drainage but have a calcic horizon above depths of 16 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly and very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible or low. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow. Depth to an apparent seasonal high water table is 0.5 to 1.5 feet at some time from April to July for the poorly drained phase and plus 1.0 to 0.5 foot from March to July for the very poorly drained phase.
USE AND VEGETATION: Much of this soil is used to grow small grains, corn, and sunflowers. This soil is also used for hay and pasture. A few areas support a scattered growth of quaking aspen and brush. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Minnesota; primarily in the northeastern part of the Glacial Lake Agassiz Plain and in eastern North Dakota. It is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Richland County, North Dakota, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 14 inches (Ap and A horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 14 to 20 inches (Bg horizon); aquic moisture regime per low chroma below mollic horizon; calcareous family due to carbonates in all parts between 10 and 20 inches (A and Bg horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code Nos. 1168, 1185, and 1186 for results of some laboratory analysis of representative pedons of this series.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.