LOCATION KERSTON MI+IN MN OHEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic, mesic Fluvaquentic Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Kerston muck - on a 1 percent slope in celery field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa1--0 to 10 inches; black (N 2/0) broken face, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck (sapric material); less than 5 percent fiber unrubbed and rubbed; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate black (10YR 2/1); slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
Oa2--10 to 16 inches; black (10YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); less than 5 percent fiber unrubbed and rubbed; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate very dark brown (10YR 2/2); about 5 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 30 inches thick)
C--16 to 18 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand; many medium distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) mottles; single grain; loose; few fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)
Oa'--18 to 22 inches; black (10YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); about 10 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fibers unrubbed and rubbed; massive; few fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2); moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
C'--22 to 29 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sand; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and many medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic stains; single grain; loose; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Oa''--29 to 34 inches; black (N 2/0) broken face, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck (sapric material); about 33 percent fibers, 15 percent rubbed; massive; fibers are grayish brown (10YR 5/2); neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C''--34 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; few fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and many medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic stains; single grain; loose; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Muskegon County, Michigan; about 1 mile north east of the town of Whitehall, 700 feet east and 50 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 15, T. 12 N., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the first C horizon is commonly 16 to 30 inches, but may range from 16 to 40 inches. The surface tier is typically well decomposed sapric material, derived from herbaceous materials. However, in some pedons surface tiers contain woody fragments. Thickness and sequence of the layers of organic material vary greatly in these soils and extend through the control section. Organic layers have hue of 5YR to 10YR, or are neutral; value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0 to 2.
The mineral C horizon has one or more subhorizons 2 to 12 inches thick. They constitute less than 50 percent of the upper 32 inches of the profile. This horizon has 10YR or 2.5Y hue, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3. It ranges from fine sand to silty clay loam, but is dominantly fine sand, sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam. In some pedons thin layers of marl are present below 36 inches. Reaction of the pedon ranges from strongly acid to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Mountainview series. Mountainview soils do not have mineral soil layers above 30 inches and occur in a semi-arid or subhumid climate with mean annual precipitation of 10 to 25 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kerston soils are in nearly level or slightly depressed glacial drainageways and flood plains (first bottoms) of slowly flowing streams. They formed in alternating layers of organic and mineral material. They are most extensive near the confluence of these streams with other bodies of water. The mean annual precipitation ranges from about 30 to 36 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adrian, Cohoctah, and Glendora soils on flood plain areas. Cohoctah and Glendora soils do not have organic layers.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. The seasonal high water table ranges from 1 foot above the surface to 1 foot below the surface from September to June. Potential surface runoff is negligible or very low. Permeability of the sapric material ranges from moderately slow to moderately rapid and the mineral material has rapid permeability. The water table is typically the same as that of the adjacent stream.
USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part of this soil is in native vegetation, which consists of marsh grasses, sedges, reeds, and shrubs. Some areas have a poor quality lowland hardwood forest including American elm, white ash, cottonwood, red and silver maple. Other areas are drained and planted to high value crops such as celery, carrots, onions, lettuce, and mint.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Menominee County, Michigan, 1925.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: organic material from the surface to a depth of 16 inches (Oa1 and Oa2 horizons); mineral layers between 2 and 12 inches thick or two or more thin continuous mineral layers within organic materials in the control section below the surface tier - Fluvaquentic feature.