LOCATION CISNE ILEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Mollic Albaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Cisne silt loam - in a nearly level cultivated field at an elevation of about 169 meters (556 feet) above MSL. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; few very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; about 1 percent fine and medium weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide nodules throughout; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [19 to 23 cm (7 to 9 inches) thick]
Eg1--20 to 33 cm (8 to 13 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderate medium platy structure; friable; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 2 percent fine and medium weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide nodules throughout; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Eg2--33 to 43 cm (13 to 17 inches); light gray (10YR 7/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) dry; moderate medium platy structure; friable; about 2 percent fine and medium weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide nodules throughout; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [The combined thickness of the Eg horizon is 20 to 31 cm (8 to 12 inches).]
Bt/E--43 to 48 cm (17 to 19 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay loam (Bt); moderate fine angular blocky structure; friable; common prominent light gray (10YR 7/1) dry, clay depletions on faces of peds (E); common medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 3 percent fine and medium weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide nodules throughout; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 inches) thick]
Btg1--48 to 71 cm (19 to 28 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; strong fine prismatic structure parting to strong fine blocky; firm; many distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Btg2--71 94 cm (28 to 37 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; common distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron and manganese accumulation in the matrix; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [The combined thickness of the Btg horizons is 33 to 78 cm (13 to 31 inches).]
2Btg3--94 to 109 cm (37 to 43 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse angular blocky structure; firm; few faint gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common medium and coarse distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron and manganese accumulation in the matrix; about 15 percent sand; few pebbles; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. [ 15 to 38 cm (6 to 15 inches) thick]
2BCg--109 to 152 cm (43 to 60 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse angular blocky structure; firm; common coarse distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron and manganese accumulation in the matrix; about 15 percent sand in upper part and the content of sand increases with increasing depth; few pebbles; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. [ 0 to 36 cm (0 to 14 inches) thick]
2Cg--152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; ; massive; firm; many coarse prominent gray (N 6/) and light gray (N 7/) iron depletions in the matrix; few fine and medium iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; about 20 percent sand; few pebbles (about 2 percent); slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Jasper County, Illinois; about 3.2 kilometer (2 miles) west of Newton; 598 meters (1,960 feet) west and 128 meters (420 feet) south of northeast corner of sec 3, T. 6 N., R. 9 E. of the third Principal Meridian; 9 feet north and 25 feet east of the southwest corner of plot 309 at the Newton Experiment Station. USGS Newton, IL topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees, 59 minutes, 36.6 seconds North and longitude 88 degrees, 11 minutes, 42.9 seconds West; NAD 27; UTM Zone 16S 0396490 easting 4316734 northing; NAD 83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the lithologic discontinuity (same as thickness of Peoria loess) ranges from 76 to 140 cm (30 to 55 inches). The depth to the top of the argillic horizon ranges from 41 to 53 cm (16 to 21 inches). The depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 102 to 165 cm (40 to 65 inches). The particle size control section averages between 35 and 42 percent clay.
The Ap or A horizon has value of 2 or 3 (4 or 5 dry), and chroma of 1 to 3. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly alkaline. It is silt loam. Sand content ranges from 5 to 15 percent.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction dominantly ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid, except it ranges higher in some pedons that have been limed. It is silt loam or silt. Sand content ranges from 5 to 10 percent.
The B/E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Redoximorphic features have hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 8. It is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
Some pedons have a BE horizon that is less than 3 inches thick.
The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Redoximorphic features have hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR or 2.5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 1 to 8. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. Average clay content ranges for 37 to 42 percent and ranges from 33 to 45 percent in individual subhorizons. Average sand content ranges from 4 to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The 2Btg or 2BCg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, loam or silt loam. Average sand content ranges from 15 to 30 percent. Sand content in individual subhorizons ranges from 10 to 45 percent. Gravel content ranges from a few pebbles to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2Cg horizon has hue or 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, loam, or silt loam. Average sand content ranges from 15 to 45 percent. Gravel content ranges from 2 to 15 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately acid.
Some pedons have a 3Ab or 3Btgb horizon which has similar properties as the 2Cg.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cowden, Denny, and Smileyville series. Cowden and Denny soils average less than 10 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Smileyville soils average more than 42 percent clay in the particle size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cisne soils formed in 76 to 140 cm (30 to 55 inches) of loess and the underlying pedisediment are on broad summits and benches on till plains thought to be of Illinoisan age. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 8 to 14 degrees C (53 to 57 degrees F), mean annual precipitation ranges from 965 to 1219 mm (38 to 48 inches), average number of frost free days ranges from 175 to 200 days, and elevation ranges from 122 to 213 meters (400 to 700 feet) above mean sea level. A bench phase is recognized for soils on low bedrock controlled benches in Franklin and Jefferson Counties. A mine-sinks phase is recognized for soils in areas of Perry County that have subsided due to subsurface mine wall collapse.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hoyleton, Huey, and Wynoose soils. Hoyleton soils are better drained and are on low convex ridge summits above the Cisne soils. Huey soils have a natric horizon and are in adjacent similar areas or in a complex pattern with the Cisne soil. Wynoose soils have a moist color value of 4 or more in the surface layer and are in similar nearby positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Cisne soils are poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to low (0.01 to 1.41 micrometers per second). Permeability is slow or very slow. These soils have an apparent water table within 1 foot of the surface at some time between January and May in normal years. In areas of mine sinks, Cisne soils have a perched water table as much as 1.8 meters (6 feet) above the surface to 0.3 meters (1 foot) below the surface at some time between February and July in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Cisne soils are used to grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. Native vegetation is prairie grasses with some widely spaced trees in places.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 113, and 114B, Southern Illinois. Cisne soils are extensive (about 380,000 acres correlated).
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washington County, Illinois, 1927.
REMARKS: This update (7/2004) changes the classification from Vertic Albaqualfs to Mollic Albaqualfs.
These soils are in the area of Illinois known as the "gray prairie clay pans".
The relatively high content of sand in the Ap and Eg horizons (predominantly loess derived) is thought to be due to a combination of erosion by wind and water of the finer silts and clays which tends to concentrate the remaining sand, mixing of underlying sediments by crayfish, and from deposition of sand in runon water.
The loamy sediments in the lower one-half of the series control section consist of reworked material derived from the upper horizons of the Sangamon paleosol mixed with an increment of early Wisconsinan loess. The materials are sometimes referred to by the general term "Roxana silts" or "gritty loess". In some pedons they include pebbles of the Illinoisan till concentrated by erosion.
A bench phase is recognized for soils on low bedrock controlled benches in Franklin and Jefferson Counties. A mine-sinks phase is recognized for soils in areas of Perry County that have subsided due to subsurface mine wall collapse
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are:
ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to approximately 43 cm (17 inches) (Ap, Eg1, and Eg2 horizons). The upper portion meets the requirements of a mollic epipedon except for thickness; the lower portion commonly has less than 50 percent base saturation.
albic horizon - the zone from approximately 20 to 43 cm (8 to 17 inches) (Eg1 and Eg2 horizons);
argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 43 109 cm (17 to 43 inches) (B/E, Btg1, Btg2, and 2Btg3 horizons);
abrupt textural change from the Eg2 to Btg1 horizon;
aquic conditions - chroma of 1 or 2 and redox concentrations in all horizons below the Ap;
Aquic moisture regime;
mesic temperature regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Data for the typical pedon is on file at the NRCS Illinois State Office and the NSSL. University of Illinois, Agronomy Department Laboratory numbers are 18276 to 18294.