Soils Classified (USDA System)

Home , Alfisol, Entisol, Gelisol, Mollisol

1. Terminology

a. class: A group of individuals that are similar in selected properties.

b. category: A group of classes.

c. hierarchical system: A system having a number of categories differing in level of generalization, such that each class within a category is also a subclass of a class within any higher category.

2. Categories of the USDA System

Order (12 total), ex. Spodosol

Suborder, ex., Aquod

Great Group, ex., Alaquod

Subgroup, ex., Aeric Alaquod

Family, ex., sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic, Aeric Alaquod

Series, ex., Myakka

Syllables used to designate classes

1 Formative elements for Orders are as follows:

Alfisols - alf Inceptisols - ept Andisols – and Mollisols - oll Aridisols – id Oxisols - ox Entisols – ent Spodosols - od Gelisol – el Ultisols - ult Histosols – ist Vertisols - ert

Useful formative elements at suborder level are:

Aqu - Frequently saturated to surface or near surface. Fluv - Evidence of stratification from flooding. Fibr - High amount of undecomposed organic matter. Hem - High amount of organic matter, moderately decomposed. Sapr - High amount of highly-decomposed organic matter. Ud - HidlibHumid climate, but soil not too wet. Ust - Intermediate rainfall, soil not too wet. Xer - Dry climate, soil not too wet. Torr - Hot, dry climate; soil not too wet. Orth - Nothing extreme or distinctive. Umbr - Umbric (dark, thick, low-base surface horizon).

3. Diagnostic Horizons

a. Examples of Diagnostic Surface Horizons (Epipedons)

Histic: high organic C content (generally > 12%)

Mollic: soft,,, dark, thick, high base saturation

Umbric: soft, dark, thick, low base saturation

Ochric: Essentially a default

2 b. Examples of Diagnostic Subsurface Horizons (Epipedons)

Albic: light-colored due to loss (eluviation) of components

Argillic: zone of clay accumulation via translocation

Spodic: zone of preciitation of organo-metal components chemically translocated from another zone

Salic: zone of soluble salt accumulation

Sulfuric: low pH, yellow mottles from Fe sulfate minerals

4. Soil Orders that occur in Florida

Histosols - Dominated by organic soil material

Spodosols - Have Spodic. May have Argillic

Mollisol - Have Mollic & BS ≥ 50%. May have Argillic

Alfisols - Have argillic and BS ≥ 35% in lower part

Ultisol - Have argillic and BS < 35% in lower part

Inceptisol - Have Umbric or Histic (in some cases Mollic)

Entisol - Default. Absence of most diagnostic horizons to 2 m

5. Categories & Nomenclature Examples Credit Wade Hurt for this a subsequent slides

Examples of Entisol Great Groups

• Suborder • Great Groups Aquents Cryaquents - cold (Wet Entisols) Fluvaquents - floodplain Hydraquents - water Psammaquents - sand Epiaquents - perched

3 Examples of Entisol Great Groups

• Suborder • Great Groups Fluvents Torrifluvents - torrid (Floodplain (hot and dry) soils) Tropofluvents - tropical (dhid)(warm and humid) Udifluvents - humid (not dry in most years) Ustifluvents - semi-arid (between Udic-Aridic) Xerofluvents - semi-arid (Mediterranean climate)

Examples of Entisol Great Groups

• Suborder • Great Groups Psamments Cryopsamments (Sandy Soils) Quartzipsamments - Quartz Torripsamments Udipsamments Ustipsamments Xeropsamments

Examples of Subgroups 4 3 2 1 Typic Fluvaquents 4 1 2 Typical Entisols with aquic moisture regimes 3 that occur on floodplains. 1. Order 3. Great Group 2. Suborder 4. Subgroup (typical concept of Fluvaquents

4 Examples of Subgroups 4 3 2 1 Mollic Fluvaquents 1 2 EntisolsEntisols wwithith aquaquicic mmoistureoisture regimesregimes tthathat 3 occur on floodplains & have thick, 4 dark surface layers.

1. Order 3. Great Group 2. Suborder 4. Subgroup (intergrading toward a Mollisol)

Examples of Subgroups

4 3 2 1 Aeric Fluvaquents 1 3 2 Entisols on floodplains with aquic moisture regimes that are not so wet. They are better 4 aerated in the “upper” part of the soil profile.

1. Order 3. Great Group 2. Suborder 4. Subgroup (intergrading toward a more aerated subgroup)

“Sidebar”:Aquic Soil Moisture Regimes

• Typic subgroup of an aquic suborder: • Typic ____aqu____ – wettest • AiAericsubfbgroup of an aquic suborder: • Aeric ____aqu____ – better aerated • Aquic subgroup: • Aquic ______–driest

From Mausbach 1992

5 Nature of Number Differentiating Category of Taxa Characteristics

Family Many The Family name consists of a series of descriptive terms that modify the subgroup name.

Note: Family name adds no knowledge to understanding of wet soils.

Nature of Number Differentiating Category of Taxa Characteristics Series 17,000+ May have virtually the full range of properties permitted in a family, but range is restricted in one or more properties .

Note: since the series name adds no knowledge to our understanding of wet soils it the series level of soil classification will not be discussed.

7. Practice

Typic Haplosaprists

6 Typic Haplosaprists

• What does the taxonomic classification mean? • Is it likely, not likely, or maybe hydric? – Histosol dominated by sapric material (wet). – Likely to be hydric. Large areas of this soil converted to crop land in south Florida.

Aquic Paleudalfs

• What does the taxonomic classification mean? • Is it likely, not likely, or maybe hydric? – Alfisol with aquic conditions moderately deep in profile. – Likely to be nonhydric. Has water table in E horizon for brief periods during high rainfall. In an aquic subgroup.

7 Aquic Quartzipsamments

Aquic Quartzipsamments

• What does the taxonomic classification mean? • Is it likely, not likely, or maybe hydric? – Entisol that is sandy, dominated by quartz sand, with aquic conditions moderately deep in profile. – Likely to be a nonhydric soil. In an aquic subgroup. Seasonal high water table at about 24 inches.

Typic Argiaquolls

8 Typic Argiaquolls

• What does the taxonomic classification mean? • Is it likely, not likely, or maybe hydric? – Mollisol with aquic conditions near surface and accumulation of clay in subsoil. – Likely to be hydric. Hydric soils commonly classify in an aquic suborder; “argi” is “double whammy” (will explain).

Aeric Alaquods

• What does the taxonomic classification mean? • Is it likely, not likely, or maybe hydric? – Spodosol with aquic conditions near surface; not quite as wet as “typic” subgroups. – Maybe hydric. Typical Spodosol on flatwoods. In an aquic suborder.

9 Class as Likely Hydric, Maybe Hydric, or Likely Non-Hydric

• Typic Haplosaprists Terric Haplosaprists • Lithic Cryofolists Aquic Paleudalfs •Aquic Glossudalfs Typic Aq uisalids • Aquic Quartzipsamments Typic Humaquepts • Typic Argiaquolls Argiaquic Argialbolls • Aeric Calciaquolls Aeric Alaquods • Typic Umbraquults Chromic Epiaquerts

Answers According to Hurt

• Likely Hydric – Typic Haplosaprists Terric Haplosaprists – Typic Humaquepts Typic Umbraquults – Typic Argiaquolls Typic Aquisalids – Chromic Epiaquerts Argiaquic Argialbolls • Maybe Hydric – Aeric Calciaquolls Aeric Alaquods • Likely Nonhydric – Aquic Glossudalfs Aquic Paleudalfs – Aquic Quartzipsamments Lithic Cryofolists

Summary

• Likely Hydric: Soils in the Albolls Suborder or soils with a formative element at the Suborder level of soil classification (Aqu, Fibr, Hist, and Sapr.), unless they have the formative element aeri at the suborder level & soils in the following Great Groups Aquisalids, Historthels, and Histoturbels.

• MbMaybe HdiHydric: So ils with a ftiformative elttthSbdlement at the Suborder level of soil classification (Aqu, Fibr, Hist, and Sapr.) and the formative element aeri at the suborder level & soils on flood plains such as Aquic Dystrochrepts, Aquic Eutrochrepts, & Aquic Udifluvents.

• Likely Nonhydric: Soils with all other classifications including aqu at the Subgroup level of soil classification with some exceptions (note the three example given above).