LOCATION ZEPHYR FL
Established Series
Rev. DIS:HFH
10/2021
ZEPHYR SERIES
The Zephyr series consists of very poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments under conditions favorable for accumulation of thin deposits of organic materials. They are in depressions and on low flats surrounded by flatwoods in Peninsular Florida. Slope gradient is less than 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Typic Albaquults
TYPICAL PEDON: Zephyr muck in a depressional area with native vegetation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa1--0 to 7 inches; black (10YR 2/1) muck; about 60 percent fine sand occurring mainly as faint streaks of light gray uncoated sand; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary.
Oa2--7 to 13 inches; black (10YR 2/1) muck; about 75 percent fine sand occurring mainly as faint streaks of light gray uncoated sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Total thickness of the Oa horizon is 5 to 16 inches thick)
A&E--13 to 23 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand; many large distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) streaks; single grained; loose; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 18 inches thick)
AB--23 to 31 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sand, common medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) mottles; single grained; loose; common fine and few medium roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Btg1--31 to 46 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine and medium roots; few root channels filled with dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sand from horizons above; few clay films on faces of peds; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
Btg2--46 to 52 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine and medium roots; few thin sand lenses between ped surfaces; few clay films on faces of peds; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Btg3--52 to 61 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few thin sand lenses between ped surfaces; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
BCg--61 to 71 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam; common medium prominent white (10YR 8/1) lenses of sand; common medium distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mottles; massive; friable; few fine roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Cg--71 to 80 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand; common medium prominent white (10YR 8/1) lenses of sand; many medium prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) mottles; massive; loose; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Pasco County, Florida; about 2.5 miles west of Quail Hollow School and 3.5 miles north of Florida Highway 54; SE1/4NW1/4 sec. 3, T. 26 S., R. 19 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 40 to 60 inches. Soil reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid throughout.
The Oa horizon is in hue 5YR, value 2 or 3, chroma 2 to 4; hue 10YR, value 2, chroma 1; or hue N, value 2.
The A1&A2 horizon is less than 20 inches thick. It is sand or fine sand. The A1 part has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, chroma 1; or hue N, value 2 to 4. It occurs as large streaks concentrated at the upper boundary of the A2 horizon and extends downward throughout the A2 horizon. The A2 part has hue 10YR, value 4 to 8, chroma 1 or 2, or hue N, value 4 to 8. Some pedons have an A1 horizon. Where present, it has the characteristics of the A1 horizon portion of the A1&A2 horizon and ranges to 8 inches thick. Texture of the A1 horizon includes mucky fine sand. Below the A1 is an A2 which has the characteristics of the A2 portion of the A1&A2 horizon. Fine to medium mottles in shades of brown and gray may be present.
The A3 horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value 4, chroma of 2 or 3 with or without fine to medium mottles in shades of brown and gray.
The B2tg horizon has hue of 10YR, value 4 to 7, chroma 1 with or without mottles, or chroma 2 with mottles; hue of 2.5Y, value 4 through 7, chroma 2 with mottles, or hue N, value 4 to 7. Texture
is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam.
The B23tg and B3 horizons, where present, have the same matrix and mottle color range as the upper B2tg horizon as well as hue of 5Y, value 4 to 7, chroma 2 or less. Texture is fine sandy loam or
sandy clay loam.
The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR, value 4 to 7, chroma 2 or less; hue 2.5Y, value 5 to 7, chroma 2; or hue N, value 5 to 7. Texture is fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or fine sand with or without pockets and lenses of finer or coarser material.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Scoggin series in the same family. There are no series in closely similar families. Scoggin soils have A horizons 20 to 40 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zephyr soils are in wet depressions and on low flats within the flatwoods in central and southern Florida. They formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments under conditions favorable for accumulation of thin deposits of organic materials. Slope gradients are less than 2 percent. Near the type location mean annual precipitation is about 57 inches and about 60 percent of this is received during the months June through September. Mean annual temperature is about 72 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the EauGallie,
Pomona,
Smyrna, and
Wauchula series. All these associated soils lack histic epipedons, have spodic horizons, and are better drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Zephyr soils are very poorly drained. They are ponded for 6 months or more in most years. The water table is at depths less than 30 inches for most of the remainder of the year. Permeability is rapid in the Oa and A horizons and slow in the Btg horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used mainly for wildlife habitat. A few large areas have been cleared and artificially drained for use for specialty vegetable crops. Native vegetation is predominately cypress, swamp bay, a few pond pine, greenbrier, and water tolerant ferns and grasses. In some areas there are red maple and pickerelweed.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southern peninsular Florida. This series is of small known extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pasco County, Florida; 1980.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly mapped as a variant of the Floridana series. They would be classified as Histic Ochraquults if the subgroup was offered. The soil horizon depths were modified on 10/2021 to ensure the description began at the soil surface (13 inch adjustment). The horizon designations were also modified for the soil profile.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.