LOCATION NIOTA IL+IAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Vertic Albaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Niota silt loam, nearly level in a pasture at an elevation of 187 meters (615 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [18 to 25 cm (7 to l0 inches) thick]
E--18 to 36 cm (7 to 14 inches); mixed grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry;moderate thin platy structure parting moderate fine granular; friable; common fine roots throughoit; common distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) dry, silt coatings on faces of peds; few fine black (7.5YR 2.5/1) concretions of iron and managnese oxides in the matrix; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [10 to 25 cm (4 to l0 inches) thick]
2Bt-- 36 to 61 cm (14 to 24 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very firm; few fine roots between peds; many distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay films on faces of peds;very strongly acid, clear smooth boundary.
2Btg1--61 to 94 cm (24 to 37 inches); gray (5Y 5/1 and 5Y 6/1) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots between peds; common distinct dark gray (5Y 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (7.5YR 2.5/1) concretions of iron and manganese oxides in the matrix; few fine and medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
3Btg2--94 to 135 cm (37 to 53 inches); gray (5Y 6/1) silt loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common distinct reddish gray (5YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; many prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) iron and manganese stains on faces of peds; many fine black (7.5YR 2.5/1) concretions of iron and manganese oxides in the matrix; few fine and medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizons is 38 to 74 cm (15 to 29 inches)]
3Cg--135 to 150 cm (53 to 60 inches); gray (5Y 6/1) silt loam; massive; friable; many fine black (7.5YR 2.5/1) concretions of iron and manganese oxides in the matrix; many fine and medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron in the matrix; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Rock Island County, Illinois; about l 1/2 miles southwest of Hillsdale; 600 feet north and l320 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 30, T. l9 N., R. 3 E.; USGS Hillsdale
topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 36 minutes 01 seconds N. and long. 90 degrees 12 minutes 17 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum ranges from 102 to 150 cm (40 to 60 inches) in thickness. The particle-size control section averages 38 to 60 percent clay. The depth to the
lacustrine clayey material is 25 to 51 cm (l0 to 20 inches).
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 moist or 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of l or 2 moist or dry. It is silt loam. It is strongly acid through neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 (5 through 7 dry), and chroma of l through 3. It is silt loam. Mottles are in some pedons. It is strongly acid or medium acid.
Some pedons have a BE horizon.
The 2Bt or 2Btg horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 5Y or is neutral, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 0 to 4. One or more subhorizons within the control section, and ranging in thickness from 20 to 76 cm (8 to 30 inches), have hue of 2.5YR or 5YR and chroma of 3 or 4. Redoximorphic features have hue of 5YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. The 2Bt or 2Btg horizon is silty clay or clay in the upper part, and is clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam in the lower part. It ranges from extremely acid to medium acid.
The 3Btg or 3BCg horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 0 to 2. It typically has redoximorphic features. It is silty clay loam, silt loam, or loam. The 3Btg or 3BCg horizon is very strongly acid through medium acid.
The 3Cg horizon commonly is silt loam, but the range includes strata of loam, clay loam, sandy loam, silty clay loam, and loamy fine sand. It ranges from medium acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: Niota is the only established series in the family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Niota soils are on nearly level stream terraces. Slope gradients range from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) of loess or other silty
material and the underlying fine textured or moderately fine textured lacustrine sediments and, in some areas, the underlying stratified outwash. Mean annual temperature ranges from 8 to 11
degrees C (46 to 51 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation ranges from 810 to 990 mm (32 to 39 inches).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Zwingle soils and the Denrock soils. Both Zwingle and Denrock soils are on similar landscape positions nearby. Denrock soils are Aquic Argiudolls, and they do not have an E horizon.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Low runoff. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is 0.01 to 0.42 micrometers per second (very slow permeability).
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Niota soils are used for cultivated crops or pasture. Principal cultivated crops are corn, soybeans, and small grain. Native vegetation was prairie
grasses and scattered hardwood trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Illinois, and eastern Iowa. LRR M, MLRA?s 105, 108, 109, and 115. Niota soils have small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Henderson County, Illinois l947.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons had features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches) (A horizon)
Albic horizon - from a depth of 18 to 36 cm (7 to 14 inches) (E horizon)
Argillic horizon - from a depth of 36 to 135 cm (14 to 53 inches) (2Bt, 2Btg1, and 3Btg2 horizons).
Abrupt textural change - at a depth of 36 cm (14 inches)