LOCATION SHIRED FL
Tentative Series
ELR;AGH
10/2018
SHIRED SERIES
The Shired series consists of deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. These soils are in depressions in Gulf Coast lowland areas that are occasionally flooded. Slopes are less than 1 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, superactive, thermic Typic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shired muck -- forest. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oa--0 to 3 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) muck; 35 percent fiber content unrubbed, 15 percent rubbed; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine, medium and coarse roots; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary (2 to 5 inches thick)
A1--3 to 16 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine, medium and coarse roots; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
A2--16 to 21 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy loam; moderate, coarse granular structure; friable; few coarse, distinct gray (10YR 5/1) lenses or pockets of sand; common fine medium and coarse roots; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 24 inches.)
Eg--21 to 50 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand; single grained, loose; few, medium faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) mottles; few medium roots in upper part; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (26 to 45 inches thick)
Btg--50 to 56 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
2R--56 inches; limestone bedrock that can be chipped but not dug with a spade.
TYPE LOCATION: Dixie County, Florida; approximately 2500 feet north and 1600 feet west of the southeast corner of Sec. 6, T. 12 S., R. 11 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to limestone is 45 to 60 inches.
The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 3 or less. Organic materials are composed mostly of decayed leaves, twigs, roots and other vegetative material. Percent fiber ranges from about 5 to 15 percent rubbed and 25 to 40 percent unrubbed. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or less. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or their mucky analogs. In the lower part, medium or coarse gray iron depletion mottles and pockets of sand or loamy sand ranges from none to common. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 or less. Texture is fine sand, sand, loamy fine sand or loamy sand. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 or less. Masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown and yellow are in most pedons. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are
Addicks, the only series in the same family, and the
Manatee series. Addicks soils have a calcic horizon, and in addition have sola more than 72 inches thick. Manatee soils are hyperthermic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shired soils are in depressions within occasionally flooded areas of the Gulf Coast Lowlands. These soils formed in loamy and sandy marine sediments overlying limestone bedrock. Slopes are less than 1 percent. The mean annual temperature ranges from 66 to 70 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 50 to 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Chaires,
Meadowbrook,
Tooles, and
Wekiva series. Chaires soils have a spodic horizon and are on flatwoods. Meadowbrook soils have an ochric epipedon. Tooles soils have an ochric epipedon and an argillic horizon within a depth of 40 inches. Wekiva soils have an ochric epipedon and an argillic horizon at a depth of less than 20 inches. Additionally, Wekiva soils have limestone at depths of 10 to 30 inches. Meadowbrook, Tooles, and Wekiva soils are on the occasionally flooded flats.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Shired soils are very poorly drained. Permeability is moderately slow. These soils are ponded for 4 to 6 months in most years, and flood every few years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are in natural vegetation of water oak, laurel oak sweetgum, blackgum, cypress, bay, cabbage palm, and red cedar. Understory vegetation includes waxmyrtle, sawgrass, and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Shired soils are on lowlands near the Gulf Coast of northern Florida. They are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES PROPOSED: Dixie County, Florida, 1993. Source of the name is an estuarine island in the tidal marsh along the Gulf Coast.
REMARKS: Classification changed from Abruptic Argiaquolls to Typic Argiaquolls with this revision of the series.
Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 3 to 21 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Albic horizon - The zone from 21 to 50 inches (Eg horizon).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 50 to 56 inches (Btg horizon).
Aquic conditions - endosaturation throughout.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.