LOCATION POARCH AL+FL MSEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Plinthic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Poarch fine sandy loam, on a smooth 0.5 percent
slope in a cultivated field.
(Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam;
weak fine granular structure; friable; common fine roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
E--7 to 12 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) loam;
weak fine granular structure; friable; few fine roots; common
fine pores; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 24 inches; yellow (2.5Y 7/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores;
sand grains coated and bridged with clay; very strongly acid;
gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Bt2--24 to 32 inches; yellow (2.5Y 7/6) loam; few fine faint brownish yellow mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; most sand grains coated and bridged with clay; common medium light gray (2.5Y 7/2) areas of uncoated sand grains; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
(6 to 19 inches thick)
Btv1--32 to 38 inches; mottled yellow (2.5Y 7/6), light gray (2.5Y 7/2), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), and red (2.5YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine
roots and pores; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; about
6 percent plinthite nodules; thin patchy clay films on plinthite nodules; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12
inches thick)
Btv2--38 to 50 inches; mottled olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6),
light gray (2.5Y 7/2), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), and red (2.5YR
5/8) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few
fine pores; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; about 12 percent plinthite nodules; thin patchy clay films on plinthite nodules; few iron oxide concretions; very strongly acid; gradual
wavy boundary. (10 to 21 inches thick)
Bv3t--50 to 66 inches; mottled brownish yellow (10YR 6/6),
light gray (10YR 7/1), strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; most sand grains coated and bridged with clay; 3 percent plinthite nodules; few iron oxide concretions; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Escambia County, Alabama; 2.6 miles southeast of
radio station in Atmore, 60 feet north of Florida line road in SW1/4SW1/4SE1/4 sec. 34, T. 1 N., R. 6 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60
inches. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid except
for surface layers that have been limed. Depth to the Btv
horizon ranges from 24 to 58 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and
chroma of 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 3 or 4. The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7,
and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture of the A and E horizons is sandy
loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and
chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam,
or silt loam with 8 to 18 percent clay and 20 to 55 percent silt
in the control section.
The Btv horizon has colors similar to the Bt horizon or it is
mottled in varying shades of red, brown, yellow, or gray. Depth
to mottles of chroma 2 or less is more than 30 inches. Percent
by volume of plinthite is 5 to 25 percent. Texture of the Btv horizon is the same as the Bt horizon and includes clay loam and sandy clay loam below a depth of about 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Brogdon and
Compass series.
Brogdon soils are bisequal. Compass soils have less than 20
percent silt in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on nearly level to gently sloping uplands of the Coastal Plain. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The soils formed in marine deposits of unconsolidated
sandy and loamy sediments. The climate is warm and humid. Near
the type location the average annual temperature is 66 degrees
F., and the average annual rainfall is about 58 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Atmore,
Escambia,
Fuquay,
Irvington,
Malbis,
Notcher,
Robertsdale,
Saucier, and
Stilson series. Atmore soils are on lower, dominantly
depressional, landforms and have a matrix with chroma of 2 or
less. Escambia, Irvington, Robertsdale, and Saucier soils are on slightly lower landforms and have mottles with chroma of 2 or
less within 30 inches of the surface. Fuquay and Stilson soils
are on similar landforms, but have a sandy epipedon 20 to 40
inches thick. Malbis and Notcher soils are on similar landforms,
but have a fine-loamy control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well and moderately well drained.
Slow to medium runoff and moderate to moderately slow
permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cleared and used for the production
of corn, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, small grains, and truck
crops. Other areas are used for pasture and woodland. Forested areas have longleaf, loblolly, and slash pine with some hardwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and
possibly Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Soil is of
moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Escambia County, Alabama; 1969
REMARKS: Chroma 2 colors at depths less than 30 inches are attributed to clean quartz grains rather than wetness. Data are available from samples of four pedons.