LOCATION SUSANNA FL
Established Series
Rev. FCW; HFH; GRB
11/2018
SUSANNA SERIES
The Susanna series consists of very deep, poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils on broad flats of central and southern Florida. They formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 73 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 55 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic, ortstein Ultic Alaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Susanna sand--woodland. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sand, rubbed; color is mixture of organic matter and uncoated sand grains; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots, few coarse roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
E1--6 to 18 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine and common medium roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
E2--18 to 25 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizons range from 8 to 22 inches in thickness)
Bh--25 to 29 inches; black (5YR 2/1) loamy sand; massive; firm, strongly cemented ortstein consists of 75 to 90 percent of the horizon; few fine roots; sand grains are well coated; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--29 to 41 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation and black (10YR 2/1) streaks along root channels having more organic matter than the matrix; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--41 to 48 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; many coarse distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and few medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons range from 5 to 33 inches thick)
Cg1--48 to 63 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy sand; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; root channels filled with dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand surrounded by reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Cg2--63 to 80 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sand; single grained; loose; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: St. Lucie County, Florida; approximately 6.0 miles west of Ft. Pierce, about 0.35 mile north of Florida Highway 70, about 0.45 mile west of Coolidge Road, about 0.1 mile south of trail, about 200 feet northwest of orange grove, and about 150 feet north of fence; NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Sec. 23, T. 35 S., R. 39 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Combined thickness of the A and E horizons are less than 30 inches from the surface. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid in the A and E horizons and from very strongly acid or strongly acid in the Bh, Bt, and C horizons.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value 2 or 3, and chroma 1 or 2. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The E horizon has hue 10YR, value 4 to 8, and chroma 1 or 2. Streaks of dark organic material along root channels range from none to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
In some pedons, a thin BE horizon is between the E and Bh horizons. Where present, it has hue of 10YR, value 3 to 5, and chroma 1 or 2. Uncoated sand grains range from common to many. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
The Bh horizons have hue 5YR to 10YR, value 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 4; or it is neutral with value of 2. It is weakly to strongly cemented in 60 to 90 percent of the horizon. Some pedons have a lower Bh horizon that has the same colors and textures. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
The Bw/Bh horizon, where present, hue is 7.5YR or 10YR, value 3 or 4, and chroma 2 to 4. Content of spodic fragments range from common to many. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
The Bw horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 3 or 4, and chroma 2 to 4. Content of spodic fragments range from common to many. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
The E' horizon, where present, is between Bh and Btg horizons. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value 5 to 8, and chroma 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 5 to 8. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Bt or Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value 3 to 7, chroma 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 7. Redoximorphic features in shades of brown, yellow, gray, or red range from few to many. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam.
The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5BG, value 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 or less. Texture is variable, ranging from sand to fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the
Delks and
Tantile series in the same family. These soils are on similar positions. In addition, Delks soils have clayey argillic horizons and Tantile soils have argillic horizons below depths of 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Susanna soils are on broad flats of central and south Florida. They formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. The climate is humid semitropical. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The average annual temperature is about ranges from 72 to 74 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
Ankona,
Basinger,
Chobee,
Immokalee,
Lawnwood,
Myakka,
Nettles,
Pendarvis,
Pepper,
Pineda,
Pomello,
St. Lucie,
Wabasso,
Wauchula, and
Winder series. Ankona and Nettles soils are on similar to lower positions and have Bh horizons more than 30 inches below the surface. Basinger, Chobee, Immokalee, Myakka, Pineda and Wabasso soils are on similar to lower positions and lack ortstein. In addition, Chobee soils are Mollisols and have fine-loamy control sections. Myakka soils lack Bt horizons below the Bh horizons, and Pineda soils lack spodic horizons. Wabasso soils are Alfic. Lawnwood soils do not have argillic horizons below the Bh horizon. The moderately well drained Pendarvis soils are on higher positions and do not have argillic horizons below the Bh horizon. Pepper soils are Alfic. The somewhat poorly drained Pomello soils are on higher positions, have Bh horizons below 30 inches and lack ortstein. The excessively drained St. Lucie soils are on adjacent higher positions, lack spodic horizons and ortstein. Wauchula soils are on similar positions but lack ortstein. Winder soils are on similar positions, lack spodic horizons and ortstein, and have fine-loamy control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; very slow or slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Some areas of Susanna soils are planted to citrus and improved pasture grasses. Other areas are used for community development. Natural vegetation consists of open forest of longleaf pine and slash pine with ground cover of sawpalmetto, running oak, pineland threeawn, inkberry, and fetterbush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida. The series is of moderate known extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Lucie County, Florida; 1977.
REMARKS: A water table is within depths of 10 inches for 1 to 4 months and within a depth of 40 inches for about 6 months in most years. It is perched above the spodic horizon early in the summer rainy season and after heavy rainfall in other seasons. During prolonged dry seasons, the water table recedes to below a depth of 40 inches.
Susanna soils were formerly classified as Groundwater Podzols. They have been included in the Wauchula series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Depth to Bh horizon is less than 30 inches from the surface.
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 6 inches (A horizon).
Spodic horizon - the zone from 25 to 29 inches (Bh horizon).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 29 to 48 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Ortstein feature - the zone from 25 to 29 inches (Bh horizon).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.