LOCATION SORTER TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, superactive, thermic Natric Vermaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Sorter silt loam--forest.
(Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; massive due to crayfish bioturbation; hard, friable; many fine and few medium roots; many fine pores; few wormcasts; 50 percent crayfish krotovinas; 1 percent very fine black (10YR 2/1) concretions; 2 percent fine prominent yellow (10YR 7/6) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; 2 percent fine distinct brown (10YR 4/3) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries along roots and in pores; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bg--3 to 19 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; massive due to crayfish bioturbation; hard, friable; many fine and medium roots; many fine pores; 60 percent crayfish krotovinas; 1 percent black concretions; 2 percent fine distinct yellow (10YR 7/6) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; 5 percent fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6, 5/8) iron concentrations with clear boundaries along roots and in pores; 10 percent fine prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)
Btg/Eg1--19 to 68 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure; very hard, firm; few fine roots along surfaces of prisms; few distinct clay films in pores; 1 percent black (10YR 2/1) concretions; 60 percent crayfish krotovinas; many coatings of dark gray clay cups up to 1 mm thick in krotovinas, vertical crevices and on krotovina walls; 15 percent fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries on surfaces of peds; 8 percent fine and medium prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) iron concentrations with clear boundaries on surfaces of peds and in pores; very strongly acid; diffuse wavy boundary. (30 to 50 inches thick)
Btg/Eg2--68 to 79 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; very hard, firm; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; few distinct clay films on surfaces of peds and in pores; 1 percent fine black concretions; 45 percent crayfish krotovinas; few lenses of heavy silt loam, and common small masses and lenses of very fine sandy loam, and many dark gray clay cups at the bottom of crayfish krotovinas; 25 percent fine and medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; 2 percent fine and medium reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) iron concentrations with clear boundaries on surfaces of peds and in pores; 1 percent fine prominent light greenish gray (10Y 7/1) iron depletions lining old root channels; moderately acid; diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
Btg/Eg3--79 to 93 inches, 65 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy clay loam (Btg); 35 percent light gray (10YR 7/2)(Eg); weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, firm; few distinct clay films on surfaces of peds and in pores; 20 percent crayfish krotovinas; 5 percent coarse distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; few very fine sand and silt coatings on surfaces of prisms; Btg consists of irregular masses 2 or 3 inches wide; Eg consists of albic material of very fine sandy loam texture; 10 percent is brittle; slightly acid, diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Eg/Btg--93 to 110 inches, 60 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) fine sandy loam (Eg); 40 percent light gray (10YR 7/2)(Btg); weak coarse prismatic structure; few fine roots; hard, firm; few masses of fine sand up to about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; 4 percent fine distinct coarse brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron concentrations with diffuse boundaries; 2 percent fine prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) with clear boundaries in peds; Btg consists of masses of sandy clay loam up to 3 inches wide slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Montgomery County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and Farm Road 2090 in Splendora; 4 miles west on Farm Road 2090; 50 feet south in forest.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. The weighted average clay content in the particle-size control section ranges from 4 to 12 percent. CEC to clay ratio ranges from .65 to 1.0 throughout. Exchangeable Sodium Percentage ranges from 7 to 15 in the particle-size control section and 1 to 15 throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam or silt loam. Crayfish krotovinas range from 40 to 60 percent. Iron concentrations in shades of yellow or brown range from 1 to 5 percent. Reaction is
extremely acid or very strongly acid.
The Bg horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loam. Crayfish krotovinas range from 50 to 80 percent. Iron concentrations in shades of yellow, brown, or red range from 5 to 25 percent. Reaction is extremely acid or very strongly acid.
The Btg part of the Btg/Eg horizons has hue of 10YR, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. The Eg part has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loam. Crayfish krotovinas range from 30 to 60 percent. Iron concentrations in shades of yellow, brown, or red range from 10 to 25 percent. Iron depletions in shades of gray, green, or blue range from 0 to 4 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Eg part of the Eg/Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or silt loam. Crayfish krotovinas range from 0 to 10 percent. Iron concentrations in shades of yellow, brown, or red range from 2 to 15 percent. Iron depletions in shades of gray, green, or blue range from 0 to 4 percent. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Similar soils include the Caddo, Clodine, Gessner, Nona, Ozan, Plank, and Waller series. The Caddo, Clodine, Gessner, Ozan and Waller series do not have more than 50 percent crayfish bioturbation in the particle-size control section. In addition, Caddo and Nona soils have a fine-silty particle-size control section. Clodine soils do not have a glossic horizon. Gessner soils are neutral to moderately alkaline and have formed under prairie conditions. Ozan soils are on flood plains. Plank soils have a coarse-silty particle-size control section. Waller soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sorter soils are on nearly level uplands as a consociation, or as a intermound in complex with other soils. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. This soil formed in loamy sediments of the Lissie Formation of early to mid Pleistocene age. Mean annual precipitation is 48 to 60 inches. Mean annual temperature is 67 to 69 degrees F. Frost free days range from 240 to 270 days. Elevation is 50 to 175 feet. The Thornthwaite P-E index is 68 to 80.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dallardsville, Kirbyville, Kountze, Plank, Segno, Splendora and Waller series. Dallardsville, Kirbyville, and Kountze soils are moderately well drained and on higher landscape position. Plank soils have a coarse-silty particle-size control section and are on similar landscape position. Segno, Splendora and Waller soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section. Segno and Splendora soils are on higher landscape positions. Waller soils have a fine-loamy family and are on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Sorter soils are poorly drained. Runoff is negligible. Permeability is slow. These soils remain saturated for long periods, especially during winter and spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in forest. Some areas have been cleared for pasture. Native vegetation includes lobolly and shortleaf pine and water oak, willow oak, red oak, and sweetgum. Understory includes blackgum, post oak, yaupon, persimmon, wax myrtle, American elm, and American beautyberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the Western Gulf Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 152B) of southeast Texas and possibly Louisiana. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Montgomery County, Texas; 1975.
REMARKS: The Sorter series was redescribed in 1997 to reflect the change in Soil Taxonomy with the addition of the Vermaqualfs great group.
Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 3 inches (A horizon)
Vermic feature--over 50 percent crayfish bioturbation (Bg and Btg/Eg1 horizons)
Argillic horizon--19 to 80 inches (Btg/Eg horizons)
Natric--ESP of more than 7 in the particle-size control section.
Glossic horizon--19 to 80 inches (Btg/Eg horizons. The glossic horizon is series criteria but is not diagnostic for classification.)
SOIL INTERPRETATION RECORD NUMBER: TX0307
ADDITIONAL DATA: Data available from Beltsville Lab on Lab Nos. 4295-64302 and 64303-64309 in Montgomery County. Data available from Texas A&M University Soil Characterization Lab for pedon number S78TX-339-003 from, Soil Morphology and Moisture Regimes Along a Hillslope in the Texas Coastal Plain, a dissertation by Michael John Verpraskas and Larry P. Wilding, Texas A&M University, 1980 in Montgomery County. Also, TAMU Soil Characterization Lab for pedon S95TX-199-008 from Hardin County.