LOCATION TEQUESTA FL
Established Series
Rev. AGH; GRB
11/2018
TEQUESTA SERIES
The Tequesta series consists of very deep, very poorly drained, moderately slowly permeable soils in depressional areas, fresh water swamps and marshes, and broad low flats adjacent to organic soils. They formed in stratified marine sandy and loamy sediments on the Lower Coastal Plain. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 75 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 62 inches. Slopes are less than 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Histic Glossaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Tequesta muck. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oap--0 to 12 inches; black (N 2/0) sapric material less than 5 percent fiber rubbed, muck; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium pockets of dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) sapric material; few clean sand grains; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
A--12 to 25 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium streaks of black (10YR 2/1) organic matter accumulations and few pockets of black (N 2/0) sapric material; few pockets of light gray (10YR 7/1) organic matter depletions; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
Eg--25 to 44 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand; single grained; loose; many fine black (10YR 2/1) streaks in old root channels; common medium distinct gray (10YR 5/1) organic matter depletions; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 26 inches thick)
Btg/Eg--44 to 56 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; few dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and gray (10YR 5/1) fine sand tongues extending down from the Eg horizon; tongues are 0.5 inch to 2.0 inches wide and from 6 to 12 inches deep; common medium faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) areas of redoximorphic accumulation; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Btg--56 to 72 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; common medium faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) redoximorphic accumulations; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
2C--72 to 82 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) mixed sand and shell; single grained; loose; few cemented calcium carbonate nodules up to 1.0 inch diameter; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Palm Beach County, Florida; approximately 3.75 miles south of State Highway 80 and about 0.7 mile west of Ousley Farm Road; NW 1/4, NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Sec. 19, T. 44 S., R. 41 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 30 or more inches. Soil reaction ranges from strongly acid to neutral in the Oa and A horizons, and from slightly acid to moderately alkaline in the B and 2C horizons.
The Oa or Oap horizon has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 4; or it is neutral with value of 2. Texture is muck.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1; or it is neutral with value of 2 to 4. Where the thickness is more than 6 inches, the value is 4. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 6. Redoximorphic features in shades of gray and brown range from none to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Btg/Eg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 6. Redoximorphic features in shades of gray, brown, or olive range from none to common. The Eg part consists of tongues or tubular intrusions from the Eg horizon; these range from few to common. Texture of the A part is sand or fine sand. Texture of the B part is sandy clay loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam.
The Btg horizon has the same range of colors as the Btg/Eg horizon. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam.
The BCg horizon, where present, has the same range of colors as the Btg/Eg horizon. Texture is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or sandy loam. In some pedons, it consists of stratified layers or lenses and streaks of sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam.
The 2C horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 8. Lenses and pockets of sandy loam or sandy clay loam may occur in some pedons. In many pedons, all or part of this horizon is a mixture of sand and shell. Nodules of calcium carbonate range from few to many. Texture is sand or loamy sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are no known series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tequesta soils are in depressional areas, fresh water swamps and marshes, and broad low flats adjacent to organic soils. Slopes are less than 2 percent. They formed in marine sandy and loamy materials under conditions favorable for the accumulation of thin deposits of hydrophytic plant remains. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 58 to 66 inches and the average annual air temperature ranges from 74 to 76 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the EauGallie,
Floridana,
Holopaw,
Jupiter,
Manatee,
Okeelanta,
Pineda,
Riviera,
Tomoka,
Sanibel,
Wabasso, and
Winder series. All of these soils are on similar positions. EauGallie and Wabasso soils have spodic horizons and do not have histic epipedons. In addition, Wabasso soils have argillic horizons below the Bh horizon. Floridana, Jupiter, and Manatee soils are Mollisols. In addition, Floridana soils have sandy surface and subsurface layers 20 to 40 inches in thickness while Jupiter soils are shallow to limestone bedrock. Holopaw soils have sandy surface and subsurface layers 40 to 80 inches in thickness and do not have histic epipedons. Jupiter soils have limestone within a depth of 20 inches. Okeelanta and Tomoka soils are have organic layers up to 51 inches in depth. Pineda soils sandy surface and subsurface layers 20 to 40 inches in thickness. Riviera soils do not have a histic epipedon and are slowly permeable. Sanibel soils so not have argillic horizons and are sandy throughout. Winder soils do not have a histic epipedon and have an argillic horizon within a depth of 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; rapid permeability in the A and E horizons and moderately slow permeability in the Btg horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas remain in natural vegetation and are used for wildlife habitat. Some areas have been drained and are used for improved pasture and sod production. The natural vegetation consists of needlegrass, pickerelweed, maidencane, ferns, waxmyrtle, and scattered cypress.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southern part of Peninsular Florida. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Palm Beach County area, Florida; 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon:
Histic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (Oap horizon).
Glossic horizon - the zone from 44 to 56 inches (Btg/Eg horizon).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 56 to 72 inches (Btg horizon).
The water table is at the surface or within 10 inches of the surface for 6 to 12 months during most years. In its natural state, water is above the surface for 6 to 9 months during most years
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.