LOCATION BAMA AL+FL MS VAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Bama fine sandy loam -- on a smooth, 1 percent slope, in an orchard. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
E--5 to 9 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)
BE--9 to 14 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--14 to 22 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--22 to 41 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint clay films on faces of peds; few fine concretions of ironstone; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--41 to 68 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint clay films on faces of peds; few fine concretions of ironstone; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; the masses of iron accumulation are relict redoximorphic features; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt4--68 to 74 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common faint clay films on faces of peds; few fine concretions of ironstone; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; the masses of iron accumulation are relict redoximorphic features; very strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is more than 50 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: Mobile County, Alabama; 1.5 miles north of Irvington, and 0.5 mile east on road, then 150 feet south in the NE1/4NE1/4NE1/4NE1/4 sec. 13, T. 6 S., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. Percent by volume of ironstone concretions and/or quartz gravel, 2 to 20 mm in diameter, ranges from 0 to 15 percent throughout the solum.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E horizon, if it occurs, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The BE, EB, BA, or AB horizon, if it occurs, has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 6 or 8. It is sandy clay loam, loam, or clay loam. Some pedons have a thin subhorizon with texture of sandy loam or fine sandy loam in the upper part. Silt content of the particle-size control section ranges from 20 to 46 percent. In some pedons, below a depth of about 40 inches, the Bt horizon has hue of 10R or 2.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 4 or 6. Redoximorphic features (assumed to be relict) in shades of brown and red range from none to common in the lower part. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part and is very strongly acid or strongly acid in the lower part.
The C horizon, present in some pedons below a depth of 60 inches, has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam or the gravelly analogues of these textures. It is massive and is commonly stratified. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Addielou, Allen, Avilla, Dubach, Etowah, Holston, Leesburg, Lytle, Minvale, Nella, Noboco, Norfolk, Octavia, Orangeburg, Pikeville, Ruston, Sailes, and Warnock series. Addielou soils have surface horizons thicker than 20 inches and have hue of 7.5YR or yellower throughout the solum. Allen soils contain sandstone pebbles within the solum. Avilla and Pikeville soils have more than 15 percent coarse fragments in the lower part of the sola. Dubach, Holston, Noboco, Norfolk, and Warnock soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower throughout. Etowah soils commonly have chert fragments in the solum and are underlain by limestone residuum. Leesburg, Minvale, Nella, and Octavia soils have more than 15 percent coarse fragments throughout most horizons. Lytle soils formed in a thin mantle of loess overlying loamy sediments. Orangeburg soils have less than 20 percent silt in the control section. Ruston soils are bisequal. Sailes have a CEC to clay ratio of more than 0.24 in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bama soils are on high terraces or uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain. Slopes are commonly 0 to 8 percent, but range up to 15 percent. They formed in thick beds of loamy fluvial or marine sediments. The climate is warm and humid. The average annual temperature ranges from 62 to 68 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation ranges from 56 to 65 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Benndale, Lucedale, Malbis, McLaurin, and Smithdale series. Benndale and McLaurin soils are in similar positions at slightly lower elevations and are coarse-loamy. Lucedale soils are in slightly higher positions and have rhodic colors. Malbis soils are in slightly lower positions and are plinthic. Smithdale soils are on lower slopes and have a decrease in clay content with depth.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of these soils are used for cultivated crops, pasture, hayland, orchards, or urban uses. Crops commonly grown include corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and pecans. Some areas are in woodland consisting of longleaf, loblolly, and slash pine with scattered oak, sweetgum, hickory, and dogwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Coastal Plain of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Virginia. The series is extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Marion County, Alabama; 1977.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Faceville and Ruston series. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are:
Ochric epipedon.......0 to 9 inches (Ap and E horizons)
Argillic horizon........14 to 74 inches (Bt horizons)