LOCATION MECOSTA MI+WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Udorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Mecosta sand - on a nearly level area of 1 percent in a pine plantation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common very fine roots; 5 percent pebbles; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--10 to 15 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; 5 percent pebbles; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 22 inches thick)
Bw2--15 to 20 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly sand; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; 15 percent pebbles; medium acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
Bw3--20 to 22 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly coarse sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine roots; 30 percent pebbles; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
2C1--22 to 33 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; 50 percent pebbles; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 40 inches thick)
2C2--33 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; 65 percent pebbles; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Mecosta County, Michigan; about 5 miles south and 1 mile west of Big Rapids; 1,815 feet north and 230 feet west of center of sec. 15, T. 14 N., R. 10 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 15 to 40 inches and corresponds to the depth of free carbonates. Pebbles range from 1 to 25 percent in the upper part of the solum and from 25 to 50 percent in the lower part. The 10 to 40 inch control section average from 35 to 55 percent coarse fragments. The solum ranges from strongly acid to neutral.
The Ap horizon has a value of 3 or 4, 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3. Uncultivated areas have an A horizon, 2 to 8 inches thick. It has a hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. The A horizons are most commonly sand, but the range includes loamy sand or gravelly loamy sand.
The Bw horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. They are sand, coarse sand, or loamy sand and very gravelly or extremely gravelly analogs.
The 2C horizon has a hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is gravelly sand, gravelly coarse sand, very gravelly coarse sand, or extremely gravelly coarse sand. Pebbles range from 35 to 65 percent. Some pedons are neutral or mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bonaparte, Hinckley, Manchester, Multorpor, Otisville, Quonset, and Speelyai series in the same family and the Boyer, Chelsea, Coloma, and Mancelona series in closely related families. Bonaparte soils are dominantly gravelly loamy fine sand in the solum. Hinckley soils are more acid in the solum and 2C horizons. Manchester soils have hue of 5YR in the B horizons. Multorpor soils receive 80 to 120 inches of precipitation yearly and have over 35 percent coarse fragments in all horizons. Otisville soils have coarse fragments dominated by acid siliceous rocks. Quonset soils have coarse fragments dominated by phyllite, shale, or slate. Speelyai soils have cemented layers below a depth of 9 to 20 inches. Boyer soils have argillic horizons and are coarse-loamy. Chelsea and Coloma soils have lamellae and have fewer coarse fragments. Mancelona soils have spodic horizons and are frigid.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mecosta soils are on outwash plains and moraines. Slope gradients range from 0 to 35 percent. The soil formed in calcareous sand and gravel. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 35 inches, and mean annual temperature from 46 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Coloma, Covert, and Riverdale soils. Coloma soils lack a calcareous 2C horizon, and are on similar topographic positions as Mecosta soils. The moderately well drained Covert and somewhat poorly drained Riverdale soils are in lower positions in the landscape than the Mecosta soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Surface runoff is slow on the gentle slopes and medium on the steeper slopes. Permeability is rapid in the solum and very rapid in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in red pine plantations or idle grassland. Some areas are used for urban development. Native vegetation was oak, aspen, and maple forests.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan and southern Wisconsin. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mecosta County, Michigan, 1982.