LOCATION TERRA CEIA FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic, hyperthermic Typic Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Terra Ceia muck--cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oap--0 to 8 inches; black (N 2/0) unrubbed and rubbed muck; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; less than 5 percent fiber; about 17 percent mineral content; medium acid (ph 5.7 in water; 5.3 in calcium chloride); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Oa--8 to 65 inches; dark reddish brown (10YR 2/2) unrubbed and rubbed sapric material; fracture faces resemble weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable about 30 percent fiber, 10 percent rubbed; about 30 percent mineral; slightly acid (ph 6.3 in water; 5.8 in calicum chloride).
TYPE LOCATION: Palm Beach County, Florida; 3.0 miles east of U.S. Sugar Corporation Mill at Bryant and 2.75 miles north of U.S. Highway 98. SE1/4/NE1/4NE1/4, sec. 6, T. 42 S., R. 38 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Soil reaction is 4.5 or more in calcium chloride or moderately acid to moderately alkaline by Truog method. Thickness of the organic materials is more than 51 inches.
The Oap horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 2, and chroma of 1 or 2, or value of 3, and chroma of 2; or hue of 10YR, value of 2, and chroma of 1; or it is neutral (N), with value of 2. Thickness is dependent on that of the plow layer. The surface layer is hemic or fibric in some pedons.
The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 2, and chroma of 1 or 2, or value of 3, and chroma of 2; or hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma 1 or 2; or it is neutral (N), with value of 2. Fiber content in these horizons ranges from 2 to 16 percent rubbed by organic volume. Fibers are typically those of nonwoody plants, but in some pedons, fibers from woody plants occur and range from about 5 to 30 percent unrubbed, of the organic volume. Mineral content of this horizon between depths of 16 to 51 inches ranges from about 5 to 40 percent. Some pedons have Oi or Oe horizons below the control section of 51 inches. Underlying materials are sandy, loamy, clayey, or these materials mixed with fragments of shell or hard limestone.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Torry series in the same family and the Everglades, Hontoon, and Okeechobee series in closely similar families. Torry soils have more than 40 percent mineral material in the subsurface tier. Everglades and Okeechobee soils have hemic layers in the control section. Hontoon soils are dysic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Terra Ceia soils are mostly in nearly level fresh water marshes or in depressions within areas of flatwoods, but some areas are in river flood plains or tidal areas flooded daily by brackish water. Gradients are less than 1 percent. The soils are formed largely from nonwoody firbrous hydrophytic plant remains. Climate is humid and warm. Average annual rainfall is 50 to 60 inches; mean annual air temperature is about 70 to 74 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing Torry series, these are the Anclote, Canova, Chobee, Delray, Floridana, Gator, Lauderhill, Manatee, Okeelanta, Pahokee, Pompano, Tequesta, and Winder series. Lauderhill and Pahokee soils have limestone within the control section. Gator soils have loamy material within the control section. Okeelanta soils have sandy mineral material within the control section. All of the other associated soils are mineral soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Terra Ceia soils are very poorly drained; slow to ponded runoff. Internal drainage and permeability are rapid. In drained areas, water control systems regulate the level of the water table to depths of 12 to 48 inches, depending on need of the crop grown. In undrained areas, the water table is at or above the soil surface except during extended dry periods, and areas on flood plains are flooded for long duration.
USE AND VEGETATION: Drained areas are used for truck and bulb crops, sugarcane, and improved pasture. Natural vegetation includes sawgrass, lilies, sedges, reeds, maidencane, and other aquatic plants. Wooded areas include cypress, blackgum, cabbage palm, carolina ash, loblolly bay, red maple, sweetbay, and pond pine. American and white mangrove trees are dominate in tidal areas. Large undeveloped areas are used for water storage and and as wildlife habitat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Manatee County, Florida; 1950.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Organic soil materials--the zone from the surface to a depth of 65 inches.
Surface tier--the zone from the surface to a depth of 12 inches.
Subsurface tier--the zone between 12 and 35 inches.
Bottom tier--the zone between 35 and 51 inches.