LOCATION TANTILE FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic, ortstein Ultic Alaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Tantile sand--on a smooth 1 percent slope in woodland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. Soil was wet when described.
A1--0 to 2 inches; black (10YR 2/1) rubbed, sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--2 to 5 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
A3--5 to 9 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine roots, common medium and coarse roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons range from 8 to 22 inches)
Eg1--9 to 16 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine and coarse roots, common medium roots; few medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) streaks along root channels; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Eg2--16 to 26 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sand; single grained; loose; common medium roots; common medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) streaks along root channels having more organic matter than the matrix; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Eg horizons range from 10 to 24 inches thick)
Bh1--26 to 34 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sand; massive; firm; weakly cemented ortstein consists of 60 to 90 percent of the horizon; sand grains are well coated; few fine roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bh2--34 to 39 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) sand; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; noncemented; sand grains are well coated; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bh horizons range from 4 to 24 inches)
Bw/Bh--39 to 49 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sand; common coarse distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) moderately cemented spodic fragments in lower 6 inches; weak medium granular structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bw--49 to 59 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; common medium roots; few medium distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) weakly cemented spodic fragments; white (10YR 8/1) vertical sand streaks having less organic matter than the matrix; common medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) areas of organic matter accumulations than the matrix; strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
E'g--59 to 69 inches; white (10YR 8/1) sand; single grained; loose; few medium roots; common medium distinct yellow (10YR 7/6) areas having more organic matter than the matrix and few medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) streaks along root channels having more organic matter than the matrix; moderately acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
B'tg--69 to 80 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium roots; common medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) streaks along root channels and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) areas having more organic matter than the matrix; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: St. Lucie County, Florida; approximately 2.75 miles southwest of Fort Pierce, about 0.5 mile south of Nebraska Avenue, about 110 feet east of 25th Street, and about 90 feet east of power pole; NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Sec. 16, T. 35 S., R. 40 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Soil reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout. Total thickness of the A and E horizons is less than 30 inches. Depth to the B'tg horizon is more than 37 inches.
The A horizon, when rubbed, has hue of 10YR, value 2 to 4, and chroma 1 or 2. Where the value is less than 3.5, thickness is less than 10 inches. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Eg horizon has hue 10YR, value 5 to 8, and chroma 1 or 2. Streaks and accumulations in change of gray and brown range from few to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
In some pedons, a Bw horizon is between the Eg and Bh horizons. Where present, it has hue of 10YR, value 3 to 5, and chroma 1 or 2. Streaks and accumulations in change of gray and brown range from few to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Bh horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 2. It is weakly or moderately cemented in 60 to 90 percent of the horizon. Vertical streaks or bodies of sand in shades of gray, brown, and yellow range from none to common. Some pedons have a lower Bh horizon that is noncemented and have the same range of colors and textures. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Bw/Bh and BC horizons, where present, have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Spodic horizon fragments range from common to many in the Bw/Bh horizon. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
The E'g horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 5 to 8. Streaks and organic matter accumulations in shades of black or brown range from few to common. Texture is .
The B'tg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value 4 to 6, and chroma 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value 4 or 6. Redoximorphic features in shades of brown, yellow, and gray range from none to common. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam.
Some pedons have a Cg horizon within depths of 80 inches. Where present, it has hue of 10YR to 5GY, value 5 or 6, and chroma 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value 5 or 6. Texture is variable, ranging from sand to sandy clay loam and may be stratified.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Delks and Susanna series in the same family and Monteocha, Pomona, and Tocoi series are in closely related families. Delks and Susanna soils are on similar positions but Delks soils have clayey argillic horizons while Susanna soils have argillic horizons within 40 inches of the surface. The Monteocha, Pomona, and Tocoi soils do not have ortstein. In addition, the very poorly drained Monteocha soils are on lower positions, the poorly or very poorly drained Pomona soils are on higher positions.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tantile soils are on broad areas in the flatwoods of central and southern Florida. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 72 to 76 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Susanna series and the Ankona, Basinger, EauGallie, Immokalee, Jonathan, Lawnwood, Myakka, Oldsmar, Pendarvis, Pomello, Pomona, Salerno, St. Lucie, Wabasso, Wauchula, and Waveland series. The poorly and very poorly drained Ankona, Immokalee, and Waveland soils are on similar to lower positions and have spodic horizons between 30 and 50 inches from the surface. In addition, Immokalee soils do not have ortstein or argillic horizons while Waveland soils do not have argillic horizons. The very poorly drained Basinger soils are on lower positions, have weakly expressed spodic horizons, and are sandy throughout. EauGallie, Oldsmar, and Wabasso soils are on similar positions, have more than 35 percent base saturation in the argillic horizon, and lack ortstein. In addition, Oldsmar soils have spodic horizons between 30 and 50 inches from the surface. Jonathan and Salerno soils have spodic horizons 50 inches below the surface and do not have argillic horizons. In addition, the somewhat poorly to moderately well drained Jonathan soils are on higher knolls and low ridges in the flatwoods. Lawnwood, Myakka, Pomona, and Wauchula soils are on similar flatwoods positions and have spodic horizons less than 30 inches below the surface. In addition, Lawnwood soil do not have argillic horizons, Myakka soils lack argillic horizons and ortstein, Pomona soils do not have ortstein, and Wauchula soils have argillic horizons within a depth of 37 inches. Pendarvis, Pomello, and St. Lucie soils are on knolls and high ridges. In addition, the moderately well drained Pendarvis soils have spodic horizons between 30 and 50 inches below the surface, and do not have argillic horizons, while somewhat poorly to moderately well drained Pomello soils have spodic horizons between 30 and 50 inches below the surface, and do not have argillic horizons, and do not have ortstein. The excessively drained St. Lucie soils do not have spodic horizons and are sandy throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow or very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Tantile soils are used for rangeland with lesser acreage planted to citrus, improved pasture grasses, and vegetables. Some areas are used for community development. The principal vegetation is longleaf pine and slash pine with an understory of sawpalmetto, running oak, pineland threeawn, and Florida threeawn. Inkberry and fetterbush are in some places.
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: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 26 inches (A1, A2, A3, Eg1, and Eg2 horizons.).
Spodic horizon - the zone from 26 to 49 inches (Bh1, Bh2, and the Bh portion of the Bw/Bh horizon).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 69 to 80 inches (Btg horizon).
Albic horizon - the zone from 59 to 69 inches (Eg horizon).
Ortstein feature - the zone from 26 to 34 inches (Bh1 horizon).
These soils are saturated during the summer rainy season and after heavy rainfall in other seasons.
Tantile soils were formerly included in the Pomona series. In situ saturated hydraulic conductivity rates of 13 tests at 5 sites show permeability to range from 0.0038 to 0.2091 in./hr. but dominantly less than 0.0778 in./hr.
The water table is within a depth of 10 inches for 2 to 4 months and 10 to 40 inches for 6 months or more during most years. It is perched above the spodic horizon early in the summer rainy season and after periods of heavy rainfall in other seasons. During extended dry periods, the water table recedes to below a depth of 40 inches.