LOCATION TAMA                    IA+IL IN MN WI

Established Series
Rev. FFR-ECS -LDC
03/2015

TAMA SERIES

The Tama series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess. These soils are on interfluves and side slopes on uplands and on treads and risers on stream terraces in river valleys. Slope ranges from 0 to 20 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 9 degrees C (48 degrees F). Mean annual precipitation is about 909 millimeters (36 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Tama silty clay loam, on a west-facing, convex slope of 3 percent, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 centimeters; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A1--15 to 25 centimeters; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

A2--25 to 36 centimeters; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

BA--36 to 46 centimeters; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; when dry, few faint gray (10YR 6/1) silt coats on faces of peds; many roots; common worm casts and holes; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt1--46 to 81 centimeters; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) when kneaded; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; common fine pores; common distinct clay films; when dry, few faint gray (10YR 6/1) silt coats on faces of peds; common worm casts and holes; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--81 to 114 centimeters; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; few distinct clay films; when dry, few faint gray (10YR 6/1) silt coats on faces of peds; few fine faint brown (10YR 5/3) and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) redoximorphic concentrations; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

BC--114 to 152 centimeters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure; very friable; when dry, few faint gray (10YR 6/1) silt coats on faces of peds; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 104-Eastern Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies, Tama County, Iowa subset; about 3 miles north and 1 mile west of Gladbrook; located about 760 feet east and 186 feet north of the southwest corner of section 28, T. 86 N., R. 16 W.; USGS Gladbrook topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 13 minutes 31 seconds N. and long. 92 degrees 43 minutes 32 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the mollic epipedon--25 to 49 centimeters
Depth to carbonates--110 to more than 200 centimeters
Clay content of the particle-size control section (weighted average)--26 to 35 percent
Sand content of the particle-size control section (weighted average)--less than 5 percent
Rock fragment content--0 percent

A or Ap horizon:
Hue--10YR
Value--2 or 3
Chroma--1 or 2
Texture--silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content--22 to 30 percent
Sand content--less than 10 percent
Reaction--pH 5.1 to 7.3
Thickness--25 to 49 centimeters

BA horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--3 or 4
Chroma--2 or 3
Texture--silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content--24 to 32 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--pH 5.1 to 6.5
Thickness--0 to 15 centimeters

Bt horizon:
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--3 or 4
Texture--silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content--24 to 35 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--pH 5.1 to 6.5
Thickness--30 to 110 centimeters

Some pedons have silt or very fine sand coats on ped faces which are more noticeable when the soil is dry

BC horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--3 or 4
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content--20 to 30 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--pH 5.1 to 7.3

C horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--3 to 6
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content--18 to 30 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--pH 5.1 to 7.3

Some pedons have sandy materials below a depth of 150 centimeters

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashdale, Broadwell, Dinsdale, Douglas, Elkhart, Elmont, Gymer, Healing, Lycurgus, Malcolm, Meadowbank, Mendota, Mickle, Ogle, Osco, Parkway, Plano, Proctor, Richwood, Ripon, Sibley, Sidell, Tecumseh, Toddville, Wakenda, and Waupecan series.
Ashdale--have limestone bedrock within a depth of 150 centimeters
Broadwell--have a sand content of 50 to 90 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Dinsdale--have a sand content of 35 to 50 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Douglas--have a sand content of 15 to 45 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Elkhart--have carbonates within a depth of 100 centimeters
Elmont--have a paralithic contact within a depth of 150 centimeters
Gymer-- have matrix hues of 5YR or 7.5YR in the lower third of the series control section
Healing--have chert and sandstone fragments in the lower third of the series control section
Lycurgus--have a sand content of 10 to 40 percent in the upper two thirds of the series control section
Malcolm--have a clay content of 12 to 18 percent in the lower half of the series control section
Meadowbank--have a clay content of less than 15 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Mendota--have carbonates within a depth of 100 centimeters and have a rock fragment content of 12 to 60 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Mickle--have a clay content that averages 18 to 30 percent in the particle-size control section and have a frequently saturated zone within a depth of 1.1 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Ogle--have matrix hues of 2.5YR, 5YR, or 7.5YR in the lower third of the series control section
Osco--have a frequently saturated zone within a depth of 1.8 meters during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Parkway--have a sand content of 20 to 40 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Plano--have a sand content of more than 20 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Proctor--have a clay content of 10 to 20 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Richwood--have a sand content of 50 to 90 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Ripon--have limestone bedrock within a depth of 100 centimeters
Sibley--have a mollic epipedon 60 to 90 centimeters thick
Sidell--have a rock fragment content of 2 to 10 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Tecumseh--have a sand content of 30 to 50 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Toddville--have a sand content of more than 70 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Wakenda--are in areas that have a mean annual air temperature range of 11 to 14 degrees C
Waupecan--have an average rock fragment content of more than 15 percent in the lower part of the series control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material--loess
Landform--interfluves and side slopes on uplands and on treads and risers on stream terraces in river valleys
Slope--0 to 20 percent
Elevation--210 to 430 meters above sea level
Mean annual air temperature--7 to 12 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation--883 to 998 millimeters
Frost-free period--167 to 206 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dinsdale, Colo, Ely, Garwin, and Muscatine soils.
Dinsdale--are on landscape positions similar to those of the Tama soils and have a sand content of 35 to 50 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Colo--are on lower landscape positions in drainageways, have a mollic epipedon more than 90 centimeters thick, and are frequently saturated at the surface of the soil during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Ely--are on lower landscape positions on base slopes, have a mollic epipedon 61 to 90 centimeters thick, and have a frequently saturated zone at a depth of 0.3 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Garwin--are on higher landscape positions on interfluves and at lower landscape positions on head slopes and are frequently saturated at the surface of the soil during the wettest period of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Muscatine--are on higher landscape positions on interfluves and have a frequently saturated zone at a depth of 0.3 meter during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--well drained--a frequently saturated zone does not occur within a depth of 1.8 meters during the wettest periods of years when precipitation is within one standard deviation of 30 year mean of annual precipitation
Saturated hydraulic conductivity--1.00 to 10.00 micrometers per second (moderately high)

USE AND VEGETATION:
Nearly level to gently sloping areas are cultivated. The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grains, and legume hays. Steeper slopes are pastured. The native vegetation is big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, and other grasses of the tall grass prairie.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Physiographic Division--Interior Plains
Physiographic Province--Central Lowland
Physiographic sections--Eastern lake section, Wisconsin driftless section, Dissected till plains, Till plains
MLRAs--Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois Drift Plain (95B),
Eastern Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies (104),
Northern Mississippi Valley Loess Hills (105), and
Illinois and Iowa Deep Loess and Drift (108)
LRR M; Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin
Extent--large

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Black Hawk County, Iowa, 1917

REMARKS:
Particle size control section--the zone from a depth of 46 to 96 centimeters (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons);
series control section--the zone from the surface to a depth of 150 centimeters (Ap, A1, A2, BA, Bt1, Bt2, and BC horizons).

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
mollic epipedon--the zone from the surface to a depth of 46 centimeters (Ap, A1, A2, and BA horizons);
argillic horizon--the zone from a depth of 46 to 114 centimeters (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons);
udic moisture regime.

The thickness of the A horizon, depth to sub-horizon highest in clay, maximum percent clay, thickness of Bt horizon, depth to carbonates, and depth to redoximorphic features usually decrease as gradient increases on convex slopes.

Cation-exchange activity class is supported by lab data from National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Taxonomy version--Keys to Soil Taxonomy, twelfth edition, 2014.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon data from soil characterization lab at Iowa State University and the KSSL was evaluated in January 2014 in revising the Range in Characteristics.
NASIS Pedon Id-1986IA171001

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.