LOCATION ADAMSTOWN MDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Adamstown silt loam, 0 to 8 percent slopes, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil).
Ap1--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3), silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; many fine roots throughout; 2 percent subangular quartzite gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Ap2--9 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 4/3), silt loam; moderate coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; common fine roots throughout; 3 percent quartzite, and limestone gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 20 inches combined thickness).
Bt1--16 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, non-sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores, few medium tubular and common fine vesicular pores; few faint continuous yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), clay films on faces of peds; 3 percent subrounded quartzite gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--22 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots between peds; common fine tubular and vesicular pores, and few medium tubular pores; few distinct continuous yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent subangular quartzite gravel; moderately acid; diffuse wavy boundary. (20 to 30 inches combined thickness).
2Bt3--30 to 38 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), channery loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many medium distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions, and common fine prominent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; common fine clay skins on ped faces; few fine tubular pores, and common fine vesicular pores; 15 percent angular shale channers; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick).
2BC--38 to 53 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6), and light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4); channery sandy loam; weak thin platy parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; very sticky and very plastic; few medium distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), clay films on faces of peds and very few faint patchy black (10YR 2/1), iron-manganese stains on faces of peds; common fine vesicular pores; 30 percent angular shale channers; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick).
2C--53 to 76 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6), channery sandy loam; weak very thin platy structure; friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine, and few coarse vesicular pores; common fine distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions, and few faint patchy yellowish red (5YR 4/6), clay films on faces of peds; 50 percent angular shale channers of which 30 percent para-channers; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Frederick County, MD, approximately 600 feet east of Mountville Rd., and 2000 feet south of railroad tracks and Mountville Rd. intersection.
Latitude 39 degrees 18'21"; Longitude 77 degrees 28'07"
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. Depth to a lithologic discontinuity ranges from 25 to 45 inches. Rock fragments in the A and B horizons range from 0 to 25 percent comprised of quartzite gravel and some shaley limestone channers. Rock fragments in the BC and C horizons range from 5 to 50 percent and are comprised of shaley limestone channers and para-channers. The soil reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral. Redoximorphic features range between 30 to 76 inches.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR to 7.5YR, value 3 or 4, and chroma 3 through 5. Texture is silt loam or loam.
The BE horizon where present has hue of 10YR to 7.5YR, value 4 or 5, and chroma 4 to 6. Texture is silt loam or loam.
The Bt horizons have hue range from 10YR to 5YR, value 4 or 5, and chroma 4 through 8. Textures range from silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam.
The 2Bt and 2BC horizons have hue range from 10YR to 5YR, value 4 or 5, and chroma 4 through 8. Textures range from silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam.
The 2C horizon has a hue of 7.5YR to 5YR, value 4 through 6, and chroma 4 through 8. Texture ranges from clay loam, silty clay loam, loam, or sandy loam. Some pedons have clay texture.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beech, Blakeslee, Blocher, Cadmus, Dormont, El Dara, Funkstown, Gageville, Glenhall, Kidami, Lima, Miami, Mt. Zion, Nessel, Octagon, Pevely, Rainsville, Rawson, Richland, Royerton, Shawtown, Summitville, Thrifton, Vaughnsville, and Wapahani soils are all in the same family. The Beech, Cadmus, Dormont, Funkstown, Glenhall, Octagon, Rainsville, Rawson, Richland, and Summitville soils are in the non-active cation-exchange class. The Gageville soils are in the semi-active CEC class, and Lima, Nessel, and Thrifton soils are in the super-active CEC class. The Beech, Blakeslee, Blocher, Cadmus, El Dara, Gageville, Glenhall, Rawson, Richland, Royerton, Shawtown, Summitville, Thrifton, Vaughnsville, and Wapahani series did not form from weathered limestone bedrock. The Beech and Richland soils average 15 to 35 percent, and 20 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, and lower part of the control section, respectively. Blocher and Dormont soils average less than 25 percent sand in the particle-size control section. Cadmus soils have gravel contents ranging from 0 to 20 percent throughout the pedon. Blakeslee soils have individual horizons in the particle-size control section clay contents ranging from 15 to 30 percent, and reactivity ranges from extremely to moderately acid throughout the pedon. El Dara soils average up to 30 percent clay, 80 percent fine sand and coarser in the particle-size control section. Funkstown soils have a frequent flooding frequency. Glenhall soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments in the 2Bt horizon, and are less acid in the lower part of the series control section. Kidami soils are less acid than moderately acid in the lower part of the series control section. Pevely and Mt. Zion soils have lithic contacts at depths below 20 inches. Miami, Octagon, and Royerton soils have carbonates at depths below 20 inches. Shawtown soils have carbonates at depths below 36 inches. Rainsville soils have carbonates at depths below 45 inches. Rawson soils have more than 35 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Summitville soils have a paralithic contact below a depth of 40 inches. Vaughnsville soils have hue redder than 7.5YR in the upper part of the argillic horizon. Wapahani soils are less than 20 inches to the base of the argillic horizon, and have carbonates at depths below 8 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Adamstown soils occur on slightly concave upland flats, drainage divides, and swales in the Piedmont region. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. They are formed from local colluvium over limestone residuum. Mean annual temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 38 to 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buckeystown, Duffield, Funkstown, Hagerstown, and Opequon soils. They are very deep and well drained, except for Opequon soils which are shallow. Funkstown soils are formed on upland drainage ways and head slopes. They are moderately well drained with frequent flooding.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in forage crops, such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and alfalfa. Limited use for pasture. Some minor uses are for urban development and or open spaces.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maryland. Total extent is limited.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Frederick County, Maryland, 2001
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 16 inches (Ap1 and Ap2 horizon,);
Argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 16 to 38 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and 2Bt3 horizons).
Redoximorphic features recognized from approximately 30 to 76 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization laboratory data are available on Pedon #: S 91MD 021-14-7, University of Maryland. Theses soils were mapped as Duffield and Hagerstown on "A" slopes, and Linside local alluvium.