LOCATION RYKER IN+KY

Established Series
Rev. DLM-BGN
11/2021

RYKER SERIES

The Ryker series consists of very deep, well drained, soils that formed in loess and the underlying drift and residuum from limestone. These soils are on till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1067 mm (42 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C (55 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Typic Paleudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Ryker silt loam, on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 232 meters (760 feet) above MSL. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 cm (6 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [8 to 30 cm (3 to 12 inches) thick]

BE--15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 20 cm (8 inches) thick]

Bt1--30 to 69 cm (12 to 27 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; many distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--69 to 97 cm (27 to 38 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt coatings on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 43 to 71 cm (17 to 28 inches).]

2Bt3--97 to 147 cm (38 to 58 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films in pores and on faces of peds; few distinct pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt coatings on faces of peds; 3 percent fine gravel: very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

2Bt4--147 to 170 cm (58 to 67 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films in pores and on faces of peds; common prominent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt coatings in channels; 3 percent fine gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 61 to more than 102 cm (24 to more than 40 inches).]

3Bt5--170 to 203 cm (67 to 80 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silty clay; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films in pores and on faces of peds; common prominent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt coatings in channels; 5 percent fine gravel; very strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Indiana; about 2 miles south of Hanover; 950 feet south and 2,000 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 24, T. 3 N., R. 9 E.; USGS Madison West topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 41 minutes 31.301 seconds N. and long. 085 degrees 28 minutes 04.777 seconds W.; UTM Zone 16, 633234 easting and 4283719 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 152 to more than 203 cm (60 to more than 80 inches)
Depth to a lithic contact: 152 to more than 203 cm (60 to more than 80 inches)
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)

Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 26 percent
Sand content: 1 to 10 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 20 percent
Sand content: 1 to 10 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 22 to 32 percent
Sand content: 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: commonly very strongly acid or strongly acid, and ranges to neutral in the upper part

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: commonly loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam and less commonly silt loam
Clay content: 22 to 38 percent
Sand content: 10 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 14 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

3Bt horizon or 3BC horizon, where present:
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content: 40 to 75 percent
Sand content: 1 to 10 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 14 percent gravel and cobbles (chert and limestone)
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part, and ranges to neutral in the lower part

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluegrass, Crider, Hootentown, Navilleton, Peridge, Stinesville and Winnipeg series. Bluegrass soils have medium or high phosphate content in the series control section. Crider soils average less than 10 percent sand in all parts of the argillic horizon. Hootentown soils average less than 40 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Navilleton soils have slower permeability in the lower part of the series control section. Peridge soils have hue of redder than 7.5YR in the upper part of the argillic horizon. Stinesville soils do not have rock fragments above a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ryker soils are on summits, shoulders, and backslopes of dissected till plains and in sinkholes (karst landscapes). Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Ryker soils formed in loess and the underlying drift and residuum from limestone. The drift is considered to be from the Illinoian or Kansan stage. Indurated limestone bedrock is typically within a depth of 4 meters (12 feet). Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1016 to 1168 mm (40 to 46 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 11 to 14 degrees C (52 to 57 degrees F). Frost-free period is 170 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Caneyville, Cincinnati, Grayford, Muscatatuck, Nabb, and Stinesville soils. The moderately deep Caneyville soils are on typically on the lower part of backslopes of hills. The well drained, less permeable Cincinnati and moderately well drained Nabb soils are on slightly higher lying summits, shoulders and backslopes of till plains. The well drained, deep Grayford soils are on similar shoulder and backslope positions as Ryker soils, and are often complexes with Ryker soils. The moderately well drained, less permeable Muscatatuck soils are on similar landform positions as Ryker soils. The well drained, more silty Stinesville soils are on similar landform positions as Ryker soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface water runoff is low or medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high. Permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of nearly level and gently sloping Ryker soils are used for growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. The steeper slopes are dominantly in pasture or forest. Native vegetation is mixed, deciduous hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 114A and 114B in southern Indiana, and north central Kentucky. This series is of moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Indiana, 1979.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from 0 to 15 cm (6 inches) (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from 30 to 203 cm (12 to 80 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, 2Bt4, 3Bt5 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for the typical pedon S76IN77-10 is available from the Agricultural Experiment Station at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.