LOCATION ARDILLA AL+FL GAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Fragiaquic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Ardilla fine sandy loam--idle.
(Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 4 inches very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
E--4 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; few fine roots and pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--9 to 15 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; many small and medium pores; sand grains coated and bridged with clay films; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--15 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; many medium distinct light gray (10YR 6/1) and common medium faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; sand grains coated and bridged with clay films; thin patchy clay films on surfaces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)
Btx1--30 to 38 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), light gray (10YR 6/1), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; weak to medium subangular blocky structure; about 45 percent of the volume, the areas dominated by yellowish brown and strong brown, are firm, brittle, and compact, the gray areas are friable; few fine roots and pores; thin patchy clay films on vertical and horizontal surfaces of peds; few ironstone pebbles; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 29 inches thick)
Btx2--38 to 60 inches; reticulately mottled red (2.5YR 4/6), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4), and light gray (10YR 6/1), sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; about 40 to 50 percent of the volume, areas dominated by red and strong brown, are firm and brittle; the light yellowish brown and gray areas are friable; few fine pores; thin patchy clay films on vertical and horizontal surfaces of peds; 15 percent ironstone pebbles; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Houston County, Alabama; 75 yards north of Madrid School and 20 yards east of road in the SE1/4NE1/4SE1/4SW1/4 of sec. 24, T. 1 N., R. 26 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness exceeds 60 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to medium acid in the upper solum and from very strongly acid to strongly acid in the lower solum.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 through 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 6, and chroma of 2 through 6. Thickness of A horizons with value and chroma of 3 or less is less than 10 inches. Texture of the A and E horizons is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or coarse sand.
The BE or BA horizon, where present, and the upper part of the Bt horizon have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 4 through 8. Mottles of chroma 2 or less are within 30 inches of the surface. Texture of the BE or BA horizon is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand. Texture of the Bt horizon is sandy loam or sandy clay loam.
The Btx horizon has the same hue, value, and chroma as the Bt horizon with few to many mottles of chroma 2 or less or it is mottled in shades or red, yellow, brown, and gray. Texture is sandy clay loam or sandy clay. Below a depth of about 30 inches percent by volume of plinthite ranges from 0 to 15 percent and percent by volume of brittleness ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Some pedons have common to many 2 to 10 mm pockets of clean sand grains and most pedons have soft iron enriched spheroidal bodies 1 to 5 mm in diameter.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Atlee, Cedarbluff, and Eylau series in the same family and the Clarendon, Robertsdale, and Saucier series in closely related families. Atlee and Cedarbluff soils have more than 20 percent silt in their control sections. Eylau series has less than 5 percent plinthite. Clarendon, Robertsdale, and Saucier soils lack horizons with more than 40 percent brittleness.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ardilla soils occur on level to gently sloping Coastal Plain uplands with slopes ranging from 0 to 5 percent. The soil formed in thick beds of marine sediments of sandy clay loam and sandy clay.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing Cedarbluff and Robertsdale series on similar landforms these are the Cowarts, Dothan, Escambia, Pansey, and Tifton series. Cowarts soils are on more sloping landforms and have sola less than 40 inches thick. Dothan and Tifton soils are on higher elevations and lack mottles of chroma 2 or less within 30 inches of the surface. Escambia soils are on similar landforms, but have less than 18 percent clay in its control section. Pansey soils are on lower elevations and have Bt horizon dominated by chroma 2 or less.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained with slow runoff. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of profile and moderately slow in the lower part. These soils receive seepage and runoff water from the surrounding soils.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in woods consisting of loblolly, longleaf, and shash pines with scattered gum and oak and understory of briars, gallberry, wax myrtle, and grass. Cleared areas are used principally for pasture, soybeans, and corn. A small acreage in planted to truck crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plains of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Houston County, Alabama; 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnositic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 15 inches (A, E, and BE horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 15 inches to 60 inches.
Fragipan character - the zone from approximately 30 inches to 60 inches.