LOCATION GUELPH MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Haplic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Guelph loam - on a 3 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; friable about 2 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
B/E--8 to 12 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam (Bt); common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; occuping about 80 percent of the horizon surrounded by or penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) loam (E); weak fine and medium subangular structure; friable; about 2 percent fine gravel; clear irregular boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--12 to 23 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; about 2 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
C--23 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; massive; firm; about 5 percent fine gravel; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Tuscola County, Michigan; about 1 mile east of the town of Cass City; 1,120 feet east and 300 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 29, T. 14 N., R. 11 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum and depth to carbonates ranges from 12 to 25 inches. The solum ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Rock fragments, dominantly gravel, ranges from 2 to 10 percent throughout the solum and C horizon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. The E horizon, when present, and the E part of the B/E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. The amount of E material present in the B/E horizon ranges from 15 to 30 percent. The A and E horizons are loam, silt loam, or sandy loam.
The Bt horizon and B part of the B/E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam. Clay content of the argillic horizon ranges from 25 to 35 percent. Some pedons have Bk horizons with color and texture similar to that of the C horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cassopolis, Marlette, Remus and Waymor soils in the same family. All of these soils contain carbonates at depths greater than 25 inches. In addition Remus soils contain less than 25 percent clay in the argillic horizon and Waymor soils are developed in loess and typically do not have rock fragments in the upper 10 to 25 inches of the soil.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Guelph soils occur typically on ground and end moraines of Wisconsinan age. Topography is nearly level to steep. Slope gradients range from 2 to 35 percent with dominant slopes of 3 to 10 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 38 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 45 to 48 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Londo, Marlette, and Parkhill soils. The somewhat poorly drained Londo and the poorly drained Parkhill soils occur in a drainage sequence with Guelph. Marlette soils, which are deeper to free carbonates, occur in association with Guelph in some areas.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and moderately well drained. The moderately well drained phase has a seasonal high water at depths of 2.5 to 6.0 below the surface from December to April. Surface runoff is medium to very rapid depending on slope. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are under cultivation. Corn, beans, wheat, and grass-legume hay are the principal crops. The more sloping areas are generally pasture or hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Thumb area of Michigan, northern Ohio and adjoining areas in Canada. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanilac County, Michigan, 1955.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 8 inches (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 8 to 23 inches (B part of B/E and Bt horizon); glossic horizon - the zone from 8 to 12 inches (B/E horizon); tongues of albic material that extend less than 20 inches into the argillic horizon - Haplic feature.
The classification of this soil was changed from Glossoboric Hapludalfs to Haplic Glossudalfs.