LOCATION VANCLEAVE          MS 
Established Series
WDD:MEL
02/2004

VANCLEAVE SERIES


The Vancleave series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils that have nodular plinthite and a fragipan. They formed in thick beds of unconsolidated loamy sediments. They are on terraces of Pleistocene age in the Gulf Coast Flatwoods Major Land Resource Area and on uplands of Pliocene age in the Southern Coastal Plain Major Land Resource Area. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Plinthic Fragiudults

TYPICAL PEDON: Vancleave loamy sand on a convex 1 percent slope in a wooded area.

A--0 to 5 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

EA--5 to 11 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; common spots and streaks of very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy sand; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Bt--11 to 22 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common faint clay films on faces of some peds; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

Btx--22 to 31 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sandy loam; weak coarse prismatic structure which parts to weak medium subangular blocky; firm; about 10 percent of the matrix is brittle; few fine and medium roots; few medium and coarse pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; common medium faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and few fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)

Btvx1--31 to 44 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) interior, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) exterior, loamy fine sand; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; firm; about 60 percent of the matrix is brittle; few fine roots in seams between prisms; common faint clay films on faces of peds; few medium nodules of ironstone; common medium rounded masses of plinthite; common coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in seams between prisms and within the matrix; common fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Btvx2--44 to 51 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sandy loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure which parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; very firm; about 65 percent of the matrix is brittle; few fine roots in seams between prisms; common faint clay films on faces of peds; many medium rounded masses of plinthite; common medium and coarse faint olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; distinct gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in vertical seams that average 1/4 to 1 inch in diameter between prisms; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btvx horizon is 12 to 36 inches)

Btvxg--51 to 71 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy clay loam; moderate very coarse prismatic structure which parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; very firm; about 65 percent of the matrix is brittle; common faint clay films on faces of peds; many medium rounded masses of plinthite; distinct gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in vertical seams that average 1/4 inch in diameter between prisms; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 6/6) and many coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)

B'tvx--71 to 84 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure which parts to weak coarse subangular blocky; very firm; about 65 percent of the matrix is brittle; common faint clay films on faces of peds; common coarse masses of plinthite; gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions about 1 inch thick in seams between prisms; many coarse prominent light gray (10YR 7/1) iron depletions within the matrix; common medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 36 inches thick)

BC--84 to 90 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine sandy loam; massive; firm; common coarse distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) iron depletions; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Mississippi; 2.0 miles southeast of Hurley; 1,500 feet west and 75 feet south of Frank Snell Road; SE 1/4, sec. 9, T.5 S., R.5 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is greater than 60 inches. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Depth to a horizon with 5 percent or more plinthite is 24 to 40 inches.
Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid throughout the profile except in areas where the surface layer has been limed. Content of fine gravel ranges from 0 to 10 percent throughout the profile.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam.

The E or EA horizon, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Redox depletions with chroma of 2 or less range from none to few in the lower part. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam. The upper 20 inches of the Bt horizon has from 5 to 18 percent clay and from 18 to 50 percent silt.

The Btvx and Btx horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Redox depletions with chroma 2 or less, range from few to many. Redox accumulations in shades of brown and red range from few to many. Texture is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Masses of plinthite range from none to few in the Btx horizon and from 5 to 20 percent in the Btvx horizon. Content of ironstone nodules ranges from none to common.

The Btvxg horizon, if present, has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Masses of iron accumulation in shades of red and brown range from few to many. Masses of plinthite range from common to many. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Content of ironstone nodules ranges from none to common.

The BC horizon, if it occurs, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Redox depletions in shades of gray range from common to many. Redox accumulations in shades of brown and red range from none to many. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam.

The C or 2C horizon, if it occurs, has a variegated color pattern in shades of gray, brown, yellow, and red. Texture is clay loam, loam, silty clay loam, or clay; or the horizon is stratified with these textures.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Series in closely related families include the Basin, Baxterville, Brewton, Desota, Escambia, Florala, Irvington, and Prentiss series. Basin soils are somewhat poorly drained and do not have a fragipan. Baxterville soils are fine-loamy and do not have a fragipan. Brewton soils are somewhat poorly drained, do not have a fragipan, and have less than 5 percent plinthite within 60 inches of the surface. Desota soils are fine-loamy. Escambia and Florala soils are somewhat poorly drained and and do not have fragic properties. Prentiss soils do not have plinthite within 60 inches of the surface. Irvington soils are fine-loamy.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Vancleave series consists of moderately well drained soils that formed in thick beds of unconsolidated loamy sediments. They are on terraces of Pleistocene age in the Gulf Coast Flatwoods MLRA and on uplands of Pliocene age in the Southern Coastal Plain MLRA. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The average annual air temperature ranges from 64 to 70 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 56 to 64 inches. Annual frost-free days range from 230 to 260.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Vancleave soils are associated with Benndale, Malbis, McLaurin, Ruston, and Smithdale soils. Benndale soils are in higher positions and do not have a fragipan or significant accumulations of plinthite. The fine-loamy Malbis soils are in higher positions and do not have a fragipan. McLaurin, Ruston, and Smithdale soils are on higher positions and do not have a fragipan or plinthite. Additionally, Ruston and Smithdale soils are fine-loamy.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderately permeable in the upper part of the subsoil and slowly permeable in the fragipan. A water table is perched above the fragipan at a depth of 2.0 to 3.5 feet for brief periods during winter and spring and has also been observed below the fragipan at depths of 5 to 7 feet.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Vancleave soils are in woodland. Common trees include longleaf pine, loblolly pine, slash pine, oaks, blackgum, and sweetgum.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Flatwoods and Southern Coastal Plain in southern Mississippi.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama

SERIES PROPOSED: Jackson County, Mississippi, July 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and significant features recognized in the soil are:

Ochric epipedon.......0 to 11 inches (A and EA horizons)
Argillic horizon......11 to 84 inches (Bt, Btx, Btvx, and Btvxg horizons)
Fragipan..............31 to 84 inches (Btvx, Btvxg, and B'tvx horizons)
Plinthic feature......31 to 84 inches (Btvx, Btvxg, and B'tvx horizons)

MLRA(s): 152A, 133A


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.