LOCATION SABANA SECA PREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic Plinthic Haplaquox
TYPICAL PEDON: Sabana Seca clay - pasture.
(Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; many fine roots; extremely acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
B1--10 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay with many medium and coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; moderate fine subangular and angular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, plastic, common fine roots; thin patchy clay films on ped faces; dark gray coloration (10YR 4/1) on old root channels and cracks; about 5 percent of Ap horizon; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
B21g--13 to 23 inches; light gray (5Y 6/1) clay with many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine prominent red (10YR 4/6) mottles (1:1 ratio of matrix to mottles); very weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular and angular blocky; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; common fine roots; thin patchy clay films on ped faces; dark gray (10YR 4/1) coloration on old root channels and ped faces; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 13 inches thick)
B22g--23 to 36 inches; light gray (5Y 6/1, 7/1) clay with many fine to coarse strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common medium and coarse prominent dark red (10R 3/6) mottles, and a few specks of red (2.5YR 4/6); very weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular and angular blocky; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; few fine roots, common fine perdigons (concretions); about 20 percent plinthite; thin patchy clay films on ped faces; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
B23g--36 to 48 inches; white (5Y 8/1, 8/2) clay with many fine medium and coarse prominent dusky red (10R 3/4) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles and concretions; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular and angular blocky; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; about 25 percent plinthite; thin patchy clay films on vertical and horizontal ped faces; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
B24g--48 to 56 inches; white (5Y 8/1) clay with many coarse prominent dusky red (10R 3/4) and common fine to coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles and concretions; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; about 20 percent plinthite; thin patchy clay films in vertical ped faces; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
B25g--56 to 70 inches; white (5Y 8/1) clay with many coarse prominent dusky red (10R 3/4) and dark red (7.5R 3/6) and few fine prominent red (10R 4/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles and concretions; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; very few patchy clay films in vertical faces; about 25 percent plinthite; extremely acid.
TYPE LOCATION: San Juan, SCD, Puerto Rico, 400 meters east of kilometer marker 8.5 on highway 866, municipality of Toa Baja, San Juan Soil Survey Area.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum is over 60 inches. Thickness of the argillic is over 50 inches. Texture is clay throughout. Consistence is slightly sticky or sticky and plastic. Reaction is very strongly or extremely acid in the whole profile. Perdigons may or may not be present. Clay films are few or very few and patchy in the B horizon. Depth to water table ranges from 24 to 36 inches. CEC per 100 grams of clay ranges from 16 to 22 mc. Cation retention from NH4CC ranges from 9 to 12 mc. The mean annual soil temperature is 76 degrees F.
The A horizon has hues of 10YR and 2.5Y, values of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 to 3. Structure is weak, fine or medium subangular blocky.
The B2g horizon has hues of 2.5Y and 5Y, values of 4 to 8, anc chromas of 1 and 2. Yellow, brown, strong brown, dusky red and dark red mottles are present in varying proportions. Low chromas occupies more than 60 percent of the matrix. Structure is weak, medium or coarse prismatic. Plinthite ranges from 15 to 30 percent in the lower B2g.
COMPETING SERIES: These are no other series in the same family. The Almirante, Guanajibo, Guerrero, Jobos, Sosa, Torres and Vega Alta series are similar soils in related families. The Almirante, Guanajibo, Jobos and Vega Alta soils are better drained. The Guerrero soils are better drained and have sandy surface layers. The Sosa soils have ustic moisture regimes. The Torres soils have sandy surface layers and higher organic content.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sabana Seca soils are gently sloping and sloping soils in the coastal plains with slope gradients of 2 to 12 percent. The soil formed in fine textured, iron rich sediments of the coastal plains. The climate is humid tropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 65 to 75 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 78 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Almirante, Martin Pena, Vega Alta, and Vega Baja series. The Almirante and Vega Alta soils are better drained and occupy slightly higher positions in the coastal plains. The Martin Pena soils are darker in color, lack plinthite and have organic surface layers. The Vega Baja soils are less acid and lack plinthite.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff and very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Native pasture and weeds used for pasture. Some of the acreage has been used for housing developments.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid northern coastal plains of Puerto Rico. The series is of minor extent, with about 7,000 acres.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Puerto Rico; 1942.
REMARKS:
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data are available for the typical pedon S58PR-9-1.