LOCATION TULA               MI+WI
Established Series
Rev. DEB-NWS-JJJ
03/2004

TULA SERIES


The Tula series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in modified loamy eolian material and in the underlying loamy till on ground and end moraines. They are shallow to moderately deep to a fragipan. Permeability is moderate in the upper part, very slow in the fragipan, and moderate in the lower part. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual preciptiation is about 31 inches and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Argic Fragiaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Tula cobbly very fine sandy loam - on a 2 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 1,420 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oa--0 to 1 inch; black (5YR 2.5/1) well decomposed forest litter; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; about 2 percent stones; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

A--1 to 5 inches; dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) cobbly very fine sandy loam; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium platy structure; friable; common very fine to coarse roots; about 20 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

E--5 to 8 inches; light gray (5YR 7/1) cobbly very fine sandy loam, white (5YR 8/1) dry; moderate medium platy structure; friable; common very fine to coarse roots; common medium distinct gray (5YR 5/1) iron depletions; common medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; about 20 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; moderately acid; gradual irregular boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)

Bs1--8 to 20 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) cobbly very fine sandy loam; moderate thin platy structure; friable; common very fine to coarse roots; few distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; about 20 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear irregular boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)

Bs2--20 to 28 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) gravelly sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine to medium roots; about 12 percent gravel, 6 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

2(E/B)x--28 to 37 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) dry (E); occupies about 60 percent of the horizon surrounding isolated remnants of reddish brown (5YR 4/3) gravelly sandy loam (Bt); few fine distinct clay films on faces of peds; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak thin platy; very firm; few very fine and fine roots in cracks 10 to 20 inches apart; common fine vesicular pores; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; about 12 percent gravel, 6 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundry. (0 to 16 inches thick)

2(B/E)x--37 to 62 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) gravelly loam (Bt); common fine distinct clay films on faces of peds; occupies about 60 percent of the horizon surrounding peds of reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, pink (7.5YR 7/3) dry (E); weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak thin platy; very firm; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; about 12 percent gravel, 6 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

2C--62 to 80 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam; massive; friable; about 22 percent gravel, 8 percent cobbles and 3 percent stones; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Marquette County, Michigan; about 2 miles southwest of the village of National Mine; 2,340 feet west and 2,525 feet south of the northeast corner of Sec. 29, T. 47 N. and R. 27 W.; USGS Ishpeming topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 26 minutes 34 seconds N. and long. 87 degrees 42 minutes 24 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the fragipan ranges from 15 to 30 inches. Cobble content ranges from 1 to 20 percent agove the fragipan and from 1 to 15 percent in the fragipan and substratum. Gravel content ranges from 10 to 15 percent above the fragipan and from 5 to 25 percent in the fragipan and substratum. Rock fragment content ranges from 10 to 35 percent in the particle size control section. Stone content ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the cobbly analogues of these textures. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.

The E horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the cobbly analogues of these textures. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.

The Bs1 horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, with value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the cobbly analogues of these textures. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.

The Bs2 horizon has hue, value, and chroma similar to the Bs1 horizon. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the gravelly analogues of these textures. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.

The E part of the 2(E/B)x horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 2 or 3. It is gravelly loamy sand or gravelly sandy loam. The B part has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, and value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.

The E and B parts of the 2(B/E)x horizon have colors and textures similar to the 2(E/B)x horizon. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.

The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma 3 or 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or the gravelly or cobbly analogues of these textures. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. Related soils are the Chesbrough (T), Misery and Skanee series. Chesbrough soils average less than 10 percent rock fragments in the series control section and is extremely or very strongly acid in the upper part of the series control section. Misery soils are calcareous in the lower part of the series control section. Skanee soils have Bhs horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Tula series occurs on nearly level or slightly depressed areas on loamy till of Wisconsinan Age. Slopes are predominantly 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 34 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 41 to 44 degrees F. The frost free period is estimated to range from 100 to 120 days. Elevation ranges from 1300 to 1600 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the well drained Schweitzer (proposed), the moderately well drained Gogebic, and the poorly drained Pleine soils. These soils form a drainage sequence with the Tula soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the profile very slow in the fragipan and moderate below.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the soil is in woodland. Common trees include red maple, quaking aspen, balsam fir, and white cedar.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western and central Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gogebic County, Michigan; 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 8 inches (Oa, A, and E horizons); Albic horizon - the zone from 5 to 8 inches (E horizon); Spodic horizon - the zone from 8 to 28 inches (Bs1 and 2Bs2 horizons); Glossic horizon - the zone from 28 to 62 inches (2(E/B)x and 2(B/E)x horizons); Argillic horizon - the zone from 37 to 62 inches (2(B/E)x horizon); Fragipan - the zone from 28 to 62 inches (2(E/B)x and 2(B/E)x horizons).

The type location was revised and moved to Marquette County, Michigan where it is currently being mapped. It has been reclassified as Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Argic Fragiaquods.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.