LOCATION SHENKS FL
Established Series
Rev. BPT:AGH
10/2018
SHENKS SERIES
The Shenks series consists of very poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in moderately thick deposits of sapric material over clayey marine sediments. These soils occur within marshes, swamps, flood plains, and wet prairies of central and southern Florida.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, dysic, hyperthermic Terric Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Shenks muck in a nearly level large prairie area. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oa1--0 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) unrubbed, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) rubbed, muck; about 45 percent fiber unrubbed, 5 percent rubbed; massive; very friable; sodium pyrophosphate extract color is light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4); extremely acid; clear wavy boundary.
Oa2--18 to 21 inches; black (N 2/0) muck; about 30 percent fiber unrubbed, less than 5 percent rubbed; moderate medium granular structure; friable; sodium pyrophosphate extract color is light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4); extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Oa horizon is 16 to 50 inches.)
C--21 to 28 inches; black (N 2/0) clay loam; massive; firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and few medium roots; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Cg1--28 to 40 inches; gray (N 5/0) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, very sticky and plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few slickensides; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick)
Cg2--40 to 51 inches; gray (N 5/0) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; large distinct slickensides; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Cg3--51 to 61 inches; dark gray (N 4/0) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, sticky, and plastic; few fine roots, large distinct slickensides; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Cg4--61 to 73 inches; gray (N 5/0) clay; few fine distinct yellowish red and strong brown mottles; massive; firm, sticky, and plastic; few fine roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
Cg5--73 to 82 inches; gray (N 5/0) clay; common fine distinct strong brown mottles; massive; firm, sticky, and plastic; few fine roots, neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Alachua County, Florida, in Levy Lake; 0.7 mile south of the Micanopy-Wacahoota Road; 2.2 miles east of the intersection with State Road 121. NW1/4SE1/4 sec., 13, T. 11 S., R. 19 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the organic material ranges from 16 to 50 inches. Reaction of the upper part of the C horizon ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid and the lower part ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline. The weighted average clay content of the mineral material within the control section is more than 35 percent. Base saturation of the C horizon is more than 35 percent.
The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3; hue of 7.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2; or is neutral hue of (N) with value of 2 or 3. The fiber content after rubbing is 16 percent or less of the soil volume. The fibers are dominantly those of nonwoody plants. Sodium pyrophosphate extract has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8; or value of 7, and chroma of 4 to 8.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or less; or it is neutral (N) with value of 2 to 4. Texture is sandy clay loam, clay loam, or sandy clay, with clay content of more than 28 percent.
The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or less, or it is neutral (N) with value of 4 to 7. Texture dominantly is sandy clay or clay. On flood plains, sand or loamy sand may occur below 60 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in the same family. Other similar series are
Allemands,
Bessie, and
Kaliga series. Soil reaction of the organic layers is more than 4.5, 0.01M calcium chloride, in the Allemands and Bessie soils, and the mean average soil temperature is less than 72 degrees F. in the Allemands soils. Kaliga soils are coarser textured in the upper part of the mineral horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shenks soils are in marshes, swamps, and wet prairie areas of central and southern Florida. Slopes are less than 2 percent. Average annual precipitation near the type location is about 55 inches and the mean average temperature is about 72 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Kaliga series and
Emeralda,
Okeechobee,
Terra Ceia, and
Wauberg series. Emeralda and Wauberg are mineral soils. Okeechobee and Terra Ceia soils have organic layers more than 51 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Shenks soils are very poorly drained. Runoff is very slow to ponded. Permeability is slow to very slow in the mineral layer. The water table is at or above the surface except during extended dry periods. They are flooded for very long periods on flood plains.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas remain in natural vegetation and are used for wildlife habitat. Natural vegetation consists of maidencane, cordgrass, cattail, bulrush, goldenrod, cutgrass, buttonbush, and other aquatic plants. A few areas may have scattered cypress and water tupelo. Swamp vegetation including cypress, water tupelo, sweetgum and red maple dominate the flood plains. Some areas have been drained and are used for truck crops or improved pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southern Florida. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alachua County, Florida; 1982.
REMARKS: Shenks soils were formerly a variant of the Kaliga series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are:
Histic epipedon - The zone from the surface to a depth of 21 inches (Oa1, Oa2 horizons)
Additional Data: U. of F., Soil Science Research Report Number 81-1, lab numbers 3175-3182, page 112.
DOT data on the same page.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.