LOCATION MARTIN KSEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aquertic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Martin silty clay loam - in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; hard, firm, slightly plastic, slightly sticky; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)
BA--9 to 14 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm,plastic and sticky; most peds have shiny surfaces; medium acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--14 to 28 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky with some angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic, very sticky; distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumultions; common fine black manganese concretions; many fine worm casts; many root channels filled with black material; medium acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--28 to 37 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) crushed, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky with some subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic, very sticky; distinct and continuous clay films on faces of peds; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; common fine black manganese concretions; worm casts and root channels as in horizon above; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 12 to 30 inches.)
BC--37 to 48 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak coarse and medium angular blocky and subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic, very sticky; clay films on faces of some peds; common coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; some dark root channels; common fine black manganese concretions; neutral; diffuse boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
C--48 to 80 inches; coarsely mottled gray (10YR 5/1), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) silty clay, light gray (10YR 6/1), reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6), brownish yellow (10YR 6/6), and light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) dry; massive; very hard, very firm, very plastic, very sticky; few fine black manganese concretions; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Kansas; 4.2 miles southwest of Clinton, Kansas; 1,440 feet north and 1,025 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 18 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 24 to 36 inches thick and includes the upper part of the argillic horizon. Martin soils generally do not have free carbonates; however some pedons contain a few small carbonate concretions in the lower part of the B and C horizons. Depth to shale or clay beds is greater than 40 inches. A bedrock substratum phase is recognized.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is dominantly silty clay loam but the range includes silty clay and clay loam. It is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4 and 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 in the upper part and 1 to 4 in the lower part. It is clay or silty clay averaging between 40 and 55 percent clay. This horizon is moderately acid to slightly alkaline. Iron accumulations are few and distinct in the upper part and become common and prominent in the lower part. They are strong brown, reddish brown, and yellowish brown.
The C horizon has variegated colors ranging in hue from 5YR to 2.5Y. It is clay or silty clay and is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Adair, Arispe, Chase, Flanagan, Greenton, Grundy, Herrick, Ipava, Lagonda, Lamoni, Macksburg, Mahaska, Malvern, Mayberry, Pawnee, Rutland, Seymour, Shorewood, Tina(T), and Wymore soils. All of these soils except the Chase, Macksburg, and Tina soils have mollic epipedons less than 24 inches thick. Chase soils have mollic epipedons greater than 36 inches thick. Macksburg soils contain 36 to 42 percent clay in the in the series control section. Tina soils are more acid in the lower part.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Martin soils are on nearly level to sloping landscape below limestone outcrops, but some areas are above such outcrops. These soils commonly formed in colluvium and/or residuum from interbedded silty and clayey shales, limestone, and clay beds. Slope gradients range from 0 to 12 percent and are gently concave to convex. Mean annual temperature ranges from 55 to 58 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 34 to 40 inches. Thornthwaite Annual PE Index ranges from 54 to 70.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clime, Elmont, Ladysmith, Sogn, Vinland, and Wamego soils. The Clime and Wamego soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches and are generally on slopes above the Martin soils. Elmont soils are fine-silty and occur on similar landscape position as the Martin soils. The Ladysmith soils have a slightly drier soil moisture control section during the summer months. They occur on ridgetops above the Martin soils. The shallow Sogn and Vinland soils do not have argillic horizons. They generally occur on slopes above the Martin soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is medium or rapid. Permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated with corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghums, alfalfa, and clover being the principal crops. Native vegetation is mixed tall and mid native prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central and northeastern Kansas. This series is extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Shawnee County, Kansas, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of about 28 inches (Ap, BA, and Bt1 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 14 to 37 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons); other - aquic conditions - chroma of 2 or less and iron accumulations at 14 inches.