LOCATION FABIUS MI+IN WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fabius sandy loam - cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many medium and fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
E--7 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, weak coarse granular structure; very friable; many roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak coarse granular structure; firm; common fine roots; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; about 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2C--18 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified gravel and coarse sand; single grain; loose; moderately alkaline; strong effervescence.
TYPE LOCATION: Lapeer County, Michigan; about 2 miles east and 2 miles north of Dryden; 550 feet south and 420 feet east of the northwest corner of NE1/4 sec. 6, T. 6 N., R. 12 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth of the solum ranges from 12 to 30 inches and the depth to effervescent sand and gravel ranges from 18 to 30. The reaction in the solum ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 10 percent in the A and E horizons, 0 to 30 percent in the Bt horizons and from 0 to 30 percent in the 2C horizon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 1 to 6.is brown (10YR 5/3) or pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam or loam. The A and E horizons are sandy loam or loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6 and is dominantly sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam or the gravelly analogs of these textures. Sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam subhorizons of the Bt horizon are allowed but the clay content of the argillic horizon ranges from 18 to 30 percent, and the percentage of particles fine sand or coarser ranges from 45 to 70 percent.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 1 to 6. It is stratified sand and gravel, or dominantly coarse sand, or coarse gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Kane series in the same family and the related and the Brady, Casco, and Matherton series. Kane soils contain from 25 to 35 percent clay in the argillic horizon and from 15 to 45 percent particles fine sand or coarser. Brady, Casco and Matherton soils do not have mollic epipedons. In addition Casco soils do not have mottles at depths between 6 and 16 inches.
SETTING: The Fabius soils are on outwash plains, valley trains, beach ridges and lake plains of Wisconsinan Age. Slopes are dominantly between 0 to 2 percent, but they range up to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 29 to 37 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 54 degrees F.
PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Casco, Matherton, Mussey and Sebewa soils. Fabius soils are in a drainage sequence with the well drained Casco and poorly drained Mussey soils. Matherton and Sebewa soils are associated in many places.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from 1 to 2 feet below the surface from November to May. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid or very rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the soil is cultivated. Small grain, beans, corn, and legume-grass hay are the principal crops, especially where artificial drainage is adequate. A part is in permanent pasture or forest. The natural vegetation was lowland hardwoods, chiefly American elm, white ash, and swamp white oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, and northern Indiana. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lapeer County, Michigan, 1967.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to7 inches (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 10 to 18 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons); mottles within 15 inches of the surface - aquic feature.