LOCATION STRATTON VT+NH
Established Series
Rev. RLM, SHG
11/2021
STRATTON SERIES
The Stratton series consists of shallow, well drained soils on glaciated uplands. They formed in loamy glacial till. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. Slopes range from 3 to 80 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 50 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Lithic Humicryods
TYPICAL PEDON: Stratton silt loam, on a southwest-facing slope of 20 percent, in a very rocky wooded area. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed needles, leaves, and twigs.
Oe--2 to 4 inches; partially and well decomposed forest litter. (Combined thickness of the O horizon is 0 to 8 inches.)
A--4 to 6 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many roots; 5 percent rock fragments; extremely acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
E--6 to 8 inches; dark gray (5YR 4/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many roots; 5 percent rock fragments; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bh1--8 to 11 inches; black (5YR 2/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many roots; 10 percent rock fragments; strongly smeary; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
Bh2--11 to 20 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) very cobbly fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; 45 percent rock fragments; strongly smeary; strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bh horizon is 4 to 14 inches.)
R--20 inches; slightly weathered mica schist bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Windham County, Vermont; town of Somerset, 670 feet south of summit of Mt. Snow ski lift and 800 feet west of Dover town line.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock range from 10 to 20 inches. Reaction ranges from extremely acid through strongly acid throughout the soil. Rock fragments are mostly cobbles and stones, but pebbles, channers, and flagstones are also common, and range from 35 to 80 percent in the particle-size control section. Some subhorizons have less than 15 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon is neutral or has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. It is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The E horizon is neutral or has hue of 2.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 0 to 2. It is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bh horizon is neutral or has hue of 2.5YR through 7.5YR. It typically has a value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 through 2, but higher value and chroma are allowed.
Some pedons have a Bhs horizon with hue of 2.5YR through 7.5YR, with value and chroma of approximately 3 or less.
Some pedons have a Bs horizon with hue of 2.5YR through 7.5YR, with value and chroma of 4 or more.
The B horizon is silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. It is strongly or moderately smeary.
Bedrock is slightly weathered schist, gneiss, or phyllite.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Peril,
Mosman,
Naukati, and
Tolstoi soils are in the same family. Naukati soils formed in residuum and Mosman, Peril, and Tolstoi soils formed in colluvium and residiuum. The mean annual precipitation in Mosman, Naukati, and Tolstoi soils is in excess of 100 inches and in Peril soils ranges from 60 to 220 inches.
The
Glebe and
Saddleback soils are in related families. The Glebe soils are moderately deep and have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. The Saddleback soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
The competing series list is subject to change when The Keys To Soil Taxonomy, 5th edition, are fully implemented.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Stratton soils are on gently sloping to very steep mountain side slopes, mountain tops, mountain ridges, and hill tops. Slopes range from 3 to 80 percent. The soils formed in loamy glacial till of Wisconsin age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 80 inches, and the mean annual air temperature ranges from 30 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 30 to 90 days. Elevation is typically greater than 2,000 to 2,500 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Glebe,
Londonderry, and
Ricker soils, which occupy similar positions on the landscape as the Stratton soils, and the
Hogback,
Houghtonville, and
Rawsonville soils, which also occupy similar positions but at slightly lower elevations. Londonderry soils are very shallow. Ricker soils are shallow organic soils. Glebe soils are moderately deep. The shallow Hogback, very deep Houghtonville, and moderately deep Rawsonville soils have a frigid temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. These soils are saturated during periods of rainfall or snowmelt but water moves laterally across the bedrock and does not become stagnant. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the areas are wooded. The common coniferous species are eastern hemlock, balsam fir, and red spruce. Northern hardwoods are mountain ash, American beech, paper birch, yellow birch, mountain maple, sugar maple, and red maple. Ground cover in small open areas is moss, ferns, or blueberries.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vermont and New Hampshire. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lamoille County, Vermont, 1979.
REMARKS:
1. The Stratton series was originally classified as Thixotropic-skeletal Humic Lithic Cryorthods. The classification was changed to conform with The Keys To Soil Taxonomy, 1992 edition.
2. The diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches (Oi, Oe, A and E horizons). b. Spodic horizon - contained in the zone from 8 to 20 inches (Bh horizon).
c. Lithic feature - bedrock is at 20 inches from the soil surface.
ADDITIONAL DATA: This series is based on field profile descriptions and laboratory data from Vermont. Pedons are: (S76VT 19-1), (S77VT 15-1), (S77VT 15-3), and (S77VT 25-3).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.