LOCATION TOKIAHOK           MI
Established Series
DSJ/CFS/JJJ
02/2006

TOKIAHOK SERIES


The Tokiahok series consists of well drained soils, which are moderately deep to a fragipan. They formed in sandy outwash over loamy till on, till floored lake plains, ground moraines and end moraines. Permeability is rapid in the upper part of the subsoil, very slow in the fragipan, and moderate in the underlying material. Slopes range from 8 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 35 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Alfic Fragiorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Tokiahok loamy fine sand, on a northwest facing slope of 20 percent, in a forested area, at an elevation of above 900 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. When described on September 20, 1993, the soil was moist throughout.)

Oa--0 to 2 inches; black (N 2.5/0) well decomposed forest litter; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)

E--2 to 11 inches; reddish gray (5YR 5/2) loamy fine sand, pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; about 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

Bhs--11 to 15 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) loamy fine sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine and common medium roots; discontinuous tongues of dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) and reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moderately cemented ortstein occupy 20 percent (8 of 40 inches) of the horizon; tongues are 2 to 4 inches wide, 8 to 22 inches apart, and extend in to the Bs horizon; about 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

Bs--15 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy fine sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; ortstein occupies 10 percent (4 of 40 inches) of the horizon and extends to a depth of 24 inches; about 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

2Bx--24 to 30 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; very few fine and medium roots in cracks 10 to 20 inches apart; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; about 10 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

2E/Bx--30 to 41 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) loamy sand, pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) dry (E); occupies about 80 percent of the horizon surrounding isolated remnants of reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); weak medium platy structure parting to weak very fine subangular blocky; very firm; very few fine roots in cracks 10 to 20 inches apart; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; about 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)

2B/Ex--41 to 49 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); few distinct dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) clay films on ped faces; occupies about 80 percent of the horizon surrounded by peds of reddish brown (5YR 5/3) loamy sand, pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) dry (E); weak medium platy structure parting to weak very fine subangular blocky; very firm; very few fine roots in cracks 10 to 20 inches apart; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; about 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

2Btx--49 to 59 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) sandy loam; weak medium platy structure parting to weak very fine subangular blocky; very firm; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; common distinct dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) clay films on ped faces; about 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 25 inches thick)

2BC--59 to 66 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; about 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

2C--66 to 80 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; massive; friable; about 10 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Marquette County, Michigan; about 9 miles east of Skanee; located about 250 feet south and 2,112 feet east of the northwest corner of section 31, T. 52 N., R. 29 W.; USGS McComb Corner topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 51 minutes 56 seconds N and long. 88 degrees 02 minutes 10 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (unless otherwise stated, depth and thickness are measured from the top of the mineral soil.) Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 35 to more than 60 inches. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Volume of gravel ranges from 1 to 15 percent and the volume of cobbles and stones range from 0 to 5 percent throughout the pedon. Mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 45 degrees F.

The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or is neutral. Some pedons have an Oe horizon. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid.

The E horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 7 moist, 7 or 8 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sand, and fine sand. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid. Some pedons have an A horizon.

The Bhs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sand, and fine sand. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid.

The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sand, and fine sand. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid.

The 2Bx horizon, not present in all pedons, has hue of 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam. This horizon is very hard or extremely hard when dry and very firm to extremely firm when moist. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.

The E part of the 2E/Bx and 2B/Ex horizons has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loamy sand or loamy fine sand. The B part of the 2E/Bx, 2B/Ex, and 2Btx has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. These horizons are very hard or extremely hard when dry and very firm to extremely firm when moist. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.

The 2BC horizon, not present in all pedons, has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.

The 2C horizon, not present in all pedons, has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Sand or loamy sand lenses occur below 50 inches in some pedons. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tokiahok soils are on ground and end moraines. These soils commonly occur on dissected landscapes with slopes ranging from 8 to 70 percent. They formed in sandy outwash overlying loamy till. Elevation ranges from 850 to 1,500 feet. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 32 to 38 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 100 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Tokiahok soils are associated with Frohling, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Munising, and Yalmer soils. Frohling soils are coarse-loamy and commonly occur in a complex with Tokiahok. The somewhat excessively drained Kalkaska and well drained Keweenaw soils are common associates on similar landscape positions. These soils formed in sandy deposits and do not have a fragipan. The moderately well drained Munising and Yalmer soils are common associates on lower landscape positions. The Yalmer soils are in the same drainage sequence and the Munising soils are coarse-loamy.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow to rapid, depending on slope. Permeability is rapid in the upper part of the subsoil, very slow in the fragipan, and moderate in the underlying material.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all of this soil is used for woodland. Tree species include sugar maple, eastern hemlock, yellow birch, ironwood, black cherry, and striped maple. Common ground plants include spinulose shield fern, twisted stalk, hairy solomon's seal, wild lily-of-the-valley, and starflower.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, MLRA 93. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Marquette County, Michigan, 1995. Source of name is a prominent peak near the western shore of Mountain Lake in the Huron Mountains.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
albic horizon--the zone from a depth of 2 to 11 inches and 30 to 49 inches (E horizon and (E) part of the 2E/Bx and 2B/Ex horizons);
spodic horizon--the zone from a depth of 11 to 24 inches (Bhs and Bs horizons);
fragipan--the zone from a depth of 24 to 59 inches (2Bsx, 2E/Bx, 2B/Ex, and 2Btx horizons);
glossic horizon--the zone from a depth of 30 to 49 inches (2E/Bx and 2B/Ex horizons);
argillic horizon--the zone from a depth of 41 to 59 inches (2B/Ex and 2Btx horizons).
Particle-size control section - the zone from 12 to 24 inches (Bhs and Bs horizons).

This soil replaces the well drained phase of the Yalmer series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.