LOCATION MUSCATUNE ILEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Muscatune silt loam on a north-facing, convex, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 268 meters (879 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
Ap--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--18 to 33 cm (7 to 13 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
AB--33 to 51 cm (13 to 20 inches); mixed very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; common very fine roots throughout; few faint very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; few faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches).]
Bt1--51 to 71 cm (20 to 28 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common few fine roots between peds; few faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; common faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds; common dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) manganese stains in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--71 to 97 cm (28 to 38 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots between peds; common distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and faint pale brown (10YR 6/3) masses of iron in the matrix; common dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) manganese stains in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Btg--97 to 127 cm (38 to 50 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots between peds; common prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; common dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) manganese stains in the matrix; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 51 to 81 cm (20 to 32 inches)]
BCg--127 to 152 cm (50 to 60 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; common dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) iron and manganese oxide stains in the matrix; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 inches) thick]
Cg--152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 inches); light brownish gray (2.y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; few fine round very dark brown (10YR 2/2) soft masses of iron and manganese oxides in the matrix; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Warren County, Illinois; about 1.5 miles north of Greenbush, 2,500 feet west and 2,240 feet north of the southeast corner of section 29, T. 9 N., R. 1 W., Warren County, Illinois; USGS Greenbush topographic quadrangle; Lat. 40 degrees 44 minutes 11 seconds N, and Long. 90 degrees 31 minutes 46 seconds W., NAD 27., UTM Zone 15T, 0708,613 easting 4512,431 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Loess thickness is typically greater than 80 inches. The solum ranges from 102 to 163 cm (40 to 64 inches) in thickness. Depth to carbonates is greater than 102 cm (40 inches). The soils are typically moderately acid or strongly acid in the A horizon and upper part of the B horizon, but ranges to neutral. They range from moderately acid to neutral in
the lower part of the solum. The average sand content is less than 5 percent throughout the series control section.
The Ap, A, or AB horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silt loam or silty clay loam.
The Bt or Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Chroma of 2 or less is present as iron depletions or clay films in all subhorizons. It averages 30 to 35 percent clay. The maximum clay layer is in the upper part of the horizon and decreases regularly with depth.
The C horizon typically has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It commonly contains iron oncentrations with hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, and high value and chroma. It is typically silt loam, but ranges to silty clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Arrowsmith,
Bearpen,
Brenton,
Edwardsville,
Elburn,
Grundelein,
Hacreek,
Harco,
Higginsville,
Keller,
Lafayette,
Lawndale,
Lisbon,
Lismod,
Loran,
Mundelein,
Nevin,
Raub,
Rooks,
Rowley, and
Shannondale series. Arrowsmith soils have carbonates present within a depth of 102 cm (40
inches). Bearpen, Brenton, Elburn, Grundelein, Lafayette, Lawndale, Lisbon, Lismod, Mundelein, Nevin, Raub, Rooks, Rowley, and Shannondale soils have more than 5 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Edwardsville, Hacreek, and Higginsville soils have a mean annual temperature above 12 degrees C (54 degrees F). Harco soils have Bt horizons less than 51 cm (20 inches) thick. Keller and Loran soils have more than 30 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Also, Loran soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (60 inches).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Muscatune soils are on moderately wide and wide upland ridges or divides and on high stream benches. In a few places, they occur on gently sloping head slopes of drainageways, but this is not the typical landscape. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. They formed in loess typically
1.8 to 3 meters (6 to 10 feet) thick, but extending to 6.1 meters (20 feet) in places. The mean annual precipitation ranges from about 810 to 970 mm (32 to 38 inches), mean annual air temperature is approximately 8 to 12 degrees C (46 to 54 degrees F), and frost-free period ranges from 140 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Atterberry,
Osco,
Sable,
Stronghurst and
Tama soils. Well drained Osco and Tama soils are on both upslope and downslope positions. Poorly drained Sable soils are in lower positions and are typically surrounded by Muscatune soils. Muscatune soils form a hydrosequence with the Tama, Osco and Sable soils. They form a
biosequence with the Atterberry (intergrade) and Stronghurst (Alfisol) soils, which are on similar landforms.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is low. Seasonal high water table is at depths of 30 to 76 cm (1.0 to 2.5 feet) during the months of November to July in most years. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second). Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for cultivated crops. Corn and soybeans are usually grown and occasionally small grains and legume hay. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Major areas in Illinois. LRR?s K and M, MLRA?s 95B, 105, 108A, 108B, and 115C. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Winnebago County, Illinois, 1994.
REMARKS: Formerly correlated as a taxadjunct of the Muscatine series (Aquic Hapludolls). Data indicates that most pedons of the Muscatine series in northwestern Illinois, and southwestern Wisconsin, and some pedons in eastern Iowa, have at least a 1.2 clay increase within the upper 30 cm (12 inches) of the argillic horizon. An extensive data record, including for the above
typical pedon, is available.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from a depth of 0 to 51 cm (0 to 20 inches) (Ap, A, and AB horizons);
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 51 to 127 cm (20 to 50 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Btg, horizons).