LOCATION VESTABURG MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Mollic Psammaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Vestaburg loamy sand - on a north-facing slope of 1 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; very friable; 12 percent gravel; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Cg1--8 to 25 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) sand; common medium faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) mottles; single grain; loose; 10 percent gravel; few fine roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Cg2--25 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sand; single grain; loose; 30 percent gravel; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Gratiot County, Michigan; about 2 miles north of Newark; 2570 feet west and 1280 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 7, T. 10 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline in the A and Cg1 horizons and is neutral to moderately alkaline in the Cg2 horizon. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 15 percent in the A horizon and from 10 to 50 percent in the C horizon. Cobble content ranges from 0 to 3 in the A horizon and from 3 to 7 percent in the C horizon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loamy sand, sand, mucky sand, mucky loamy sand or the gravelly analogues of sand or loamy sand. Undisturbed areas have A horizons with similar colors and textures.
The C horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 1 or 2. They are sand, gravelly sand, gravelly loamy sand, the very gravelly analogues of these textures, or are stratified gravel and coarse sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Glendora, Kingsville and Tobico series in the same family and the related Granby soils. Glendora and Kingsville soils do not have gravelly textures in the control sections. Tobico soils have carbonates above 20 inches and contain less gravel in the C horizon. Granby soils have mollic epipedons and are not as gravelly in the upper part of the profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vestaburg soils are on outwash plains and valley trains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 34 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 46 to 52 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Vestaburg soils are associated in the landscape with the Gilford, Granby, and Riverdale soils. Gilford soils have mollic epipedons. Granby soils are mollisols and lack coarse fragments. Gilford and Granby soils are on similar landscape positions. Riverdale soils are somewhat poorly drained and are on low knolls and ridges within units of Vestaburg.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained and very poorly drained. Surface runoff is slow to ponded. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: About half of the acreage is under cultivation to corn, soybeans, small grains, or hay. The other half is in woodland with pin oak, red maple, and American elm being the dominant species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern half of lower Michigan. The Vestaburg soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gratiot County, Michigan, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 8 inches (Ap horizon)