LOCATION MUNUSCONG MI NY WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over clayey, mixed, active, nonacid, frigid Mollic Epiaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Munuscong fine sandy loam with a 1 percent slope on a till plain in a pastured area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
A-- 0 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick.)
Bg1-- 8 to 16 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; many medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick.)
Bg2-- 16 to 30 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick.)
2Cg-- 30 to 60 inches; reddish gray (5YR 5/2) silty clay; massive; firm; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Osceola County, Michigan; about 1 1/2 miles southwest of village of Sears; 420 feet east and 340 feet south of the center, sec. 7, T. 17 N., R. 7 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The solum ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Gravel content throughout the solum and C horizon ranges from 0 to 5 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or the mucky analogues of these textures. Cultivated areas have Ap horizons with similar colors and textures as the A horizon.
The Bg horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 1 or 2. They are fine sandy loam or sandy loam. Thin strata of loam, or sandy clay loam are in some pedons. Some pedons have a BCg horizon with similar colors and textures as the Bg horizon. The BCg horizons commonly have weak subangular or platy structure.
The 2C horizon has hue of 5YR to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is silty clay, silty clay loam, or clay. It is massive or has weak medium angular blocky or weak platy structure. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Whately series. Whately soils do not have calcareous substratums.
Closely related are the Breckenridge, Brevort, Burleigh, Pinconning, and Tonkey soils. Breckenridge and Tonkey soils have coarser textured substratums. Brevort and Burleigh soils have sand or loamy sand sola and coarser textured substratums. Pinconning soils have sand or loamy sand sola.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Munuscong soils are on lake plains and ground moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Munuscong soils formed in sandy loam to fine sandy loam sediments over calcareous clay to silty clay. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 40 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 42 to 47 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Isabella, Nester, Pinconning, and Sims soils. The well drained finer textured Isabella and Nester soils are on higher landscape positions adjacent to the Munuscong soils. The coarser textured Pinconning soils and the finer textured Sims soils are on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained or very poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to very high. Permeability is moderately rapid in the solum and slow in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of these soils are in pasture or forest. The native vegetation consisted of black ash, northern whitecedar, white spruce, balsam fir, tamarack, paper birch, and red maple. A few areas are under cultivation. Small grains, grass-alfalfa hay, and beans are the principle crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northern Michigan and northern New York. The series is of small extent. MLRA 92, 93, 94A, 94B, and 142.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Osceola County, Michigan, 1966.
REMARKS: Classification adjusted to agree with ST Issue #17 on 6 Sept 94 by CLG. CEC activity class estimated as active.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 8 inches (A horizon);
2. cambic horizon - the zone from 8 to 30 inches (Bg1 and Bg2 horizons);
3. mollic subgroup - A is dark enough, but too thin for mollic epipedon;
4. aquic moisture regime.