LOCATION SUNDELL MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aquic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sundell loam on a northeast-facing slope of 2 percent in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise dated.)
Oi--2 to 0 inches; undecomposed forest litter.
A--0 to 7 inches; black (N 2/0) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; 3 percent pebbles and cobbles; neutral; clear boundary. (7 to 9 inches thick)
B/A--7 to 11 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam (B); moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; tongues of very dark gray (N 3/0) loam (A); moderate fine granular structure; friable; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; many black (10YR 2/1) worm casts; 2 percent pebbles and cobbles; mildly alkaline; clear irregular boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--11 to 18 inches; brown(7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, few fine and medium distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) and common fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; weak very fine platy structure; friable; common fine and few medium coarse roots; common fine and medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) worm casts; 6 percent pebbles and cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline. clear wavy boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
C1--18 to 22 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) fine sandy loam; few medium distinct yellow (10YR 7/8) and few medium faint very pale brown (10YR 7/4) masses of iron accumulation; massive; friable; few fine roots; 8 percent pebbles and cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
C2--22 to 23 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam; massive breaking to weak very fine platy fragments; friable; few fine roots; 7 percent pebbles and cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
2R--23 inches; gray (10YR 4/1) limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Menominee County, Michigan; about 2 miles north of Powers; 2550 feet west and 2600 feet south of northeast corner of sec. 5, T. 38 N., R. 26 W., Spalding Township.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to limestone ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The solum ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline. Volume of pebbles, cobbles, and limestone flags ranges from 1 to 15 percent throughout the solum and from 5 to 25 percent in the C horizon.
The A horizon has a hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, or is neutral; value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 0 to 2. It is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam. Some pedons have thin E horizons.
The B/A horizon has tongues of A material surrounding the B horizon. The A material has similar colors and textures as the A horizon. The B portion of this horizon has similar colors and textures as the Bw horizon.
The Bw horizon has a hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.
The C horizon has a hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 7; and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, loam or sandy loam or the gravelly analogues of these textures.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Firth series in the same family and the Kawbawgam series. Firth soils do not have bedrock within depths of 40 inches, are at higher elevations and have lower mean annual precipitation. Kawbawgam soils have spodic horizons, are more acid and are underlain by sandstone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sundell soils are on ground moraines and lake benches of Wisconsinan Age. Slope gradients range from 0 to 6 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 26 to 33 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the well drained Cunard, Emmet, and Onaway soils on higher positions in the landscape. The somewhat poorly drained Charlevoix, Ensign, and Solona Soils are on similar landscape positions. The poorly drained Nahma and Ruse soils are in depressions and drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil supports second growth timber. Present vegetation consists of quaking aspen, balsam fir, northern white cedar, paper birch, and red maple. Cleared areas are mainly used for hay or pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The central and eastern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northern lower Michigan and northeastern part of Wisconsin. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Delta County, Michigan, 1969.
REMARKS: Refer to S81MI-109-004 for lab data on this typical pedon. Sundell soils were previously classified as coarse-loamy; mixed; frigid Entic Haplaquods. The high calcium carbonate levels are not inducive to spodic horizon formation.