LOCATION SANIBEL FL
Established Series
Rev. AGH
12/2019
SANIBEL SERIES
The Sanibel series consists of very poorly drained sandy soils with organic surfaces. They formed in rapidly permeable marine sediments. The soils occur on nearly level to depressional areas with slopes less than 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Histic Humaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Sanibel muck--improved pasture. (Colors are for moist conditions.)
Oa1--0 to 7 inches; black (N 2/0) sapric material; 5 percent fiber; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; about 55 percent mineral material; sodium pyrophosphate extract light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4); strongly acid (pH 5.5 in 0.01M Calcium Carbonate); gradual wavy boundary.
Oa2--7 to 9 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) sapric material; 5 percent fiber; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; about 48 percent mineral material; sodium pyrophosphate extract light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4); strongly acid (pH 5.5 in 0.01M Calcium Carbonate); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Oa horizon is 8 to 15 inches)
A--9 to 10 inches; black (10YR 2/1) fine sand mixed with well decomposed organic material; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.7 in IN KCL); gradual wavy boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)
C1--10 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand with few fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mottles; single grained; loose; few fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6 in IN KCL); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
C2--19 to 69 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) fine sand; common medium distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) mottles in root channels; single grained; loose; moderately acid (pH 5.7 in IN KCL).
TYPE LOCATION: Broward County, Florida; 1.5 miles north of Hollywood Boulevard and 0.1 mile west of WGMA radio station on Palm Avenue, SE1/4SW1/4 of sec. 5,R. 41 E., T. 51 S.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Soil thickness is 80 or more inches. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to neutral.
The O horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it has hue of 5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 4; or it is neutral (N) with value of 2 or 3. It is hemic or sapric organic materials.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2; of it is neutral (N) with value of 2 to 5. It is sand or fine sand, mucky sand or mucky fine sand.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is sand or fine sand. It has few to common mottles in shades of gray, yellow or brown.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Clewiston series. Clewiston soils are underlain with limestone at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Similar soils in other families are
Anclote,
Basinger,
Placid,
Pompano, and
Sellers. None of these soils have a histic epipedon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sanibel soils occur on broad flats, in depressed areas and in poorly defined drainageways. Gradients are less than 2 percent. These soils have formed in thick beds of sands beneath a thin mantle of organic materials under the influence of a high water table. Near the type location annual precipitation averages about 63 inches and mean annual temperature is about 75 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Anclote,
Basinger,
Placid,
Clewiston, and
Pompano series, and the
Dania,
Holopaw,
Immokalee,
Lauderhill,
Margate, and
Okeelanta series. Dania and Lauderhill soils lack a sandy C horizon and are of organic origin. Okeelanta soils are organic soils. Immokalee soils are in a slightly elevated position and have a Bh horizon. Margate soils have a solum thickness of 20 to 40 inches. Holopaw soils do not have a histic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is rapid. The water table is at depths of less than 10 inches for 6 to 12 months during most years. Water is above the surface for periods of 2 to 6 months during wet seasons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in natural vegetation which consists mostly of sawgrass, melaleuca, and waxmyrtle. Most areas are used for range. A few areas are drained and used for improved pasture or vegetable crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida, chiefly in the Everglades area. The soils is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Broward County, Florida, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons important to this soil classification are:
Histic epipedon - The zone from the surface to a depth of 9 inches. (Oa1, Oa2 horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Sanibel pedons described in SSRR no. 78-1 (S50-16-(1-6), and SSRR no. 74-1 (S6-12-(1-5), Characterization Data for Selected Florida Soils.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.