LOCATION MONTCALM MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, frigid Alfic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Montcalm loamy sand - on a slope of 4 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
E--7 to 9 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bs--9 to 15 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
E'--15 to 26 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; very weak thin platy structure; very friable; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
Bt--26 to 33 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
E and Bt--33 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) medium sand (E), grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; single grain; loose; with thin bands, layers and lenses, 1/2 to 4 inches thick of reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); massive; friable; about 2 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
C--60 to 66 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand; single grain; loose; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Osceola County, Michigan; about 1 mile east and 3 miles south of Tustin; 1,140 feet north and 450 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 1, T. 19 N., R. 10 W.; USGS LeRoy, MI 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 03 minutes 45.6 seconds N and long. 85 degrees 26 minutes 44.3 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Gravel and cobbles range from 0 to 15 percent by volume throughout.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 2. Some pedons have an A horizon 1 to 3 inches thick with hue of 10YR or 7.5YR; value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 2. The A horizons are loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam. Reaction of the A horizons ranges from strongly acid to neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or is neutral; value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 0 to 3. It is sand, loamy sand, gravelly loamy sand, or sandy loam. Reaction of the E horizon ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bs or Bs1 horizons have hue of 7.5YR, and value and chroma of 3 or 4. Value and chroma of 3 do not occur together. Reaction of the Bs or Bs1 horizons ranges from strongly acid to moderately acid. Some pedons have Bs2 horizons with hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 4 to 6. The Bs2 horizon ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid. The Bs horizons are sand or loamy sand.
The E' horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sand or loamy sand. In some pedons the upper E' horizon occurs as thick coatings on peds and fillings in cracks in the upper part of the Bt horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR; value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sandy loam or sandy clay loam. The depth to the upper Bt horizon ranges from 20 to about 40 inches. Reaction of the Bt horizon ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E part of the E and Bt horizon has colors and textures similar to those of the E' horizon above. The Bt part of the E and Bt horizon has colors similar to the Bt horizon above. It is dominantly sandy loam, but can range to loamy sand. The thickness of the Bt bands between the E horizons range from 1/8 to 5 inches in thickness. Reaction of the E and Bt horizon ranges from strongly acid to neutral.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is dominantly loamy sand but ranges to sand. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Sagola and Trenary series. Sagola soils are dominated by glossic horizons. Trenary soils do not have E and Bt horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Montcalm soils are on ground moraines, end moraines, and outwash plains. Slopes are dominantly 2 to 18 percent but range from 0 to 45 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 32 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 41 to 47 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Graycalm, McBride, Nester, Otisco, Roscommon and Rubicon series. The somewhat poorly drained Otisco and the poorly drained Roscommon soils are in the same drainage sequence. They occur on lower landscape positions. Rubicon and Graycalm soils are coarser textured associates while the McBride and Nester soils are finer textured associates. They occur on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. The potential surface runoff is low or medium depending upon slope. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: A relatively small amount is cropped to hay, potatoes, and small grains. Most of the soils are in permanent pasture, idle cropland, or in woodland. Native forest vegetation was northern red oak, red pine, sugar maple, yellow birch, and some eastern white pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern part of Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kent County, Michigan, 1926.
REMARKS: This soil was previously classified to Eutric Glossoboralfs based on the former chemical criteria for spodosols. The series now qualifies as a spodosol based on morphological features.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 9 inches (Ap and E
horizons);
Albic horizon - the zone from 7 to 9 inches, from 15 to 26 inches, and
from 33 to 60 inches (E, E' and E part of E and B horizon);
Spodic horizon - the zone from 9 to 15 inches; argillic horizon - the
zone from 26 to 60 inches (Bt and B part of E and B horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: For laboratory data supporting classification change refer to S78MI-085-2, Sample Nos. 78P 112-121, Michigan Technological University, Ford Forestry Center, L'Anse, Michigan.
Soil Interpretation Record No.: MI0217.