Soil Field Guide for Identifying Ecological Sites Version 1.6, 2008 28 Helping People Help the Land Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 orcall(800) 795-3272 (voice) or(202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” employer.” and provider opportunity equal isan (TDD). USDA “The U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USD programs andactivities onthebasis of race, co Civil Rights,Room 326-W,Whitten Bu tape, etc.)shouldcontact USDA’sTARG TDD). where applicable,sex,maritalstatus,familia orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal,because or allorof apart an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all publicassistance incomeany all individual’s (Not isderivedfrom program. an prohibited bases apply toallprograms.) Persons with disabilities whorequire alter- native meansfor communication ofprogram representative sitewithintheareaofinvestigation greatly your outcome.Always influence choosea thesoilwill wheretoexamine landscape. Determining of to assignecologicalsites.Soilsaredefinedby arange several keyMethod” and soilfeatureswillenableusers soils experience.Knowledgeof“TexturebyFeel was designedby forfielduse individualswithlimited The “SoilFieldGuideforIdentifying EcologicalSites” characteristics thatchangegraduallyover the To fileacomplaint of discriminati FOREWORD 2 ET Centerat(202) 720-2600 (voice and ilding, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, ilding, 1400IndependenceAvenue, SW, l status,parental status,religion,sexual information (Braille, large print,audio- on, write USDA, Director, Office of lor, national origin, lor, national A) prohibitsdiscrimination inallits age, disability, and . y(y) y yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Sandy Claypan (SyCp) Sandy Claypan no no yes no no no yes yes Sandy Terrace (SyT) Sandy no no no yes no no no no Savannah (Sv) Savannah no no yes no yes no yes yes Shallow Clayey (SwCy) Shallow no yes yes no no no yes yes Shallow Loamy (SwLy) Shallow no no yes no no no yes yes Shallow Sandy (SwSy) Shallow yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no Shallow Gravel (SwG) Shallow to Gravel yes yes yes yes yes yes no no Subirrigated (Sb) Subirrigated no no no yes yes yes no no Subirrigated Savan- Subirrigated Sands (SbSa) nah no no no no no no yes no Thin Clayey (TCy) Thin Claypan yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Thin Claypan (TCp) Thin Claypan 27 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Thin Loamy (TLy) Thin Upland yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Thin Sands (TSa) Thin Sands yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Very Shallow (VS) Very Shallow Wet Land (WL) yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes Wetland Wet Meadow (WM) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no Wet Meadow Updated 1/9/08 This table indicates the Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) presently identified in North Dakota by Major Land Resource Area (MLRA), the accepted abbreviation for the ecological site and the correlation to the pre- vious range site name. ESDs are not completed for all MLRAs. For MLRAs without approved ESDs, use the existing range site description 53 55 55 58 58 Original range site (abbreviation) 26 Ecological Site A 53B 54 A B 56 C D name Clayey (Cy) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Clayey no no no no no no yes no Clayey Terrace (CyT) Clayey yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Claypan (Cp) Claypan yes yes yes no yes no yes yes Closed Depression (CD) Closed Depression no no yes no no no yes yes Limy Sands (LSa) Sands yes yes no yes yes yes no no Limy Subirrigated (LSb) Limy Subirrigated yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Loamy (Ly) Silty yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Loamy Overflow (LyOv) Overflow no no yes no no no yes yes Loamy Terrace (LyT) Overflow yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Saline Lowland (SL) Saline Lowland yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Sands (Sa) Sands yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Sandy (Sy) Sandy Group #2 Criteria Group #2 Criteria Site Group #1 Criteria Group #1 Using theFieldGuide FOREWORD by Feel Method Soil Texture GLOSSARY Criteria Site Group #6 Criteria Group #6 Criteria Site Group #5 Criteria Group #5 Criteria Site Group #4 Criteria Group #4 Criteria 3 Site Group # Criteria Group #3 Criteria 2 Site Group # Table ofContents Table Shallow andVery High WaterTable Loamy Clayey Sandy Claypan 3 13-14 24-25 20-23 19 18 17 16 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 4 2 Using the Field Guide The field guide arranges ecological sites in a hierarchy of ecological groups. Utilizing the criteria below, determine the ecological group using the first match starting with Group 1. If a field site does not correspond with Groups 1-5, consider the site in the Loamy Ecological Group. Ecological sites are determined within each group using ecological site criteria. Criteria Ecological Group Somewhat poorly to very High Water Table poorly drained sites Ecological Group Group #1, Page 6 Shallow or Very Shallow to Shallow and Very Shallow sand/gravel or weathered Ecological Group bedrock (within 20 inches) Group #2, Page 8 Presence of a claypan Claypan Ecological Group Group #3, Page 10 Surface and subsoil layers Sandy Ecological Group form a <1-inch ribbon and Group #4, Page 12 soil feels very gritty when excessively wet Subsoil forms a 2-inch or Clayey Ecological Group longer ribbon Group #5, Page 16 Soils that do not fit the above Loamy Ecological Group criteria Group #6, Page 18 4 25 NOTES: 24 5 GROUP #1 High Water Table Ecological Group Sand and Gravel – Shallow and Very Shallow Ecological Site uses the term “shallow and very shallow” to describe the depth of sand and gravel. The depth is described below: The term “gravelly” is used to describe the subsoil material which contains varying percents of sand and gravel. Depth • Very Shallow – < 14 inches • Shallow – 14 to 20 inches Saline Soil – A soil containing sufficient soluble salts to adversely affect vegetative growth and species adaptation. Salts maybe identified in the soil as threads or spherical concentrations that do not react with 1N hydrochloric acid (HCL). Boundaries are sharp and concentrations are white in color. The salinity levels in the surface layers must be moderately saline (8 - 16 mmhos/cm) or strongly saline (> 16 mmhos/cm) to meet criteria of Saline Lowland Ecological Site. Soil Profile – a vertical section of the soil extending Ecological Group Criteria through all its horizons and into the parent material • Landscape – depressions on uplands or floodplains Typical Soil Horizonation and drainageways • Bedrock – very deep Surface layer • Carbonates – allowable A, Ap, Ak (e.g., topsoil) • Claypan – allowable Bw, Bt, • Drainage – somewhat poorly to very poorly Subsoil Btn, Bk • Flooding – occasional or frequent (Closed Depression Ecological Site Substratum C, Cr is ponded) or Bedrock • Salinity – none to strongly saline • Texture – NA 6 23 GLOSSARY (Cont.) Ecological Site Criteria 6. Poorly drained – Water table is 1.0 foot above Review all ecological sites within this group and to 1.5 feet below the soil surface. Water is choose the best match. removed so slowly that the soil is wet at shallow depths periodically during the growing Closed Depression Ecological Site – the sites are season or remains wet for long periods of time. poorly drained and occur on closed upland 7. Very poorly drained – water table is 1.0 foot depressions. The subsoil layer exhibits claypan above to 1.0 feet below the soil surface. Water characteristics and forms a 2-inch or longer ribbon is removed from the soil so slowly that free (silty clay to clay). These areas may pond water but do water remains at or very near the surface. not flood. (MLRA 54) Salinity is not allowed in this Flooding – The temporary covering of the soil surface site. by flowing water. 1. Frequently Flooded – flooding is likely to Limy Subirrigated – the sites are somewhat poorly occur often under usual weather conditions: drained and have strong to violent effervescence in more than a 50 percent chance of flooding in all horizons of the subsoil. They are on floodplains, any year. drainage ways, and around or between depressions. Carbonates occur within 16 inches of the surface. 2. Occasional Flooding – flooding is expected infrequently under usual weather conditions: Saline Lowland Ecological Site – the sites are 5 to 50 percent chance of flooding in any year somewhat poorly to poorly drained and moderately or ground surface during much of the growing to strongly saline. The subsoil forms a ribbon up to 2 season 5 to 50 times in 100 years. inches in length. Salinity can be observed in the sur- face and/or subsoil layers. Claypan is allowed in this 3. Rarely Flooded – flooding is unlikely but site. possible under unusual weather conditions; 1 to 5 percent chance of flooding in any year or Subirrigated Ecological Site – the sites are somewhat nearly 1 to 5 times in 100 years. poorly drained and are on floodplains, drainage ways Ponding – The covering of the soil surface by stagnant and alluvial areas. The upper part of the subsoil does water. not contain carbonates. Porcelanite Fused shales and clay, that occur in the roof Wet Meadow Ecological Site – the sites are poorly and floor of burned coal seams. Commonly drained and in depressions or floodplains. referred to as scoria. Wet Land Ecological Site – the sites are very poorly drained. 22 7 GROUP #2 Shallow and Very Shallow Ecological Drainage – The field key refers to “High Water Table Ecological Groups” which uses drainage classes to distinguish between several sites influenced by ground water. Water tables are determined by the depth to free water and duration (significant periods during the growing season). 1. Excessively drained – Water table is >5 feet from the soil surface. These soils have very high hydraulic conductivity and low water holding capacity.