Introduction and Key to Plant Communities Introduction and Key to Ecosystems
Contact: Mike Gracz
Old Town Professional Center
3430 Main Street Suite B1
Homer, AK 99603
907-235-2218
LOCATION SNOWDANCE AK
Established Series
Rev: DVP/MHC/JPM
2/96
SNOWDANCE SERIES
The Snowdance series consists of very deep, very poorly and poorly drained soils formed in a mantle of loess and volcanic ash overlying glacial till. Snowdance soils are along footslopes and in depressions and drainages of mountainsides. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 33 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy-skeletal, mixed Typic
Cryaquands
TYPICAL PEDON: Snowdance silt loam - on a 12 percent slope under willow shrub at 2450 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil, all textures are apparent field textures)
Oi--3 inches to 0; black (5YR 2.5/1) peat; fibrous undecomposed litter. (2 to 4 inches thick)
A--0 to 5 inches; black (5YR 2.5/1) mucky silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--5 to 8 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; 5 percent subangular cobble; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bw2--8 to 16 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silt loam with common medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; 5 percent subangular cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 19 inches thick)
2BC--16 to 31 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) very gravelly sandy loam; massive; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent subangular gravel and 5 percent subangular cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
2C--31 to 60 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly sandy loam; massive; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent subangular gravel and 35 percent subangular cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska; about 18 miles northeast of Willow; the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of section 24, T. 21N., R. 3W., Seward Meridian.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 32 to 35 degrees F. Depth to the underlying very gravelly glacial till ranges from 14 to 32 inches. The loess mantle is dominated by weathered volcanic ash with an estimated bulk density of less than 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter. The solum is assumed to have andic properties. Mottles and matrix chromas of two or less are common anywhere within 20 inches of the surface. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to strongly acid in the solum and strongly acid to moderately acid in the substratum.
The A horizon has hue from 5YR to 10YR; moist value of 2 or 3; and chroma moist from 1 through 3. Texture is mucky silt loam, silt loam or very fine sandy loam.
The Bw horizons have have hue from 7.5YR to 2.5Y; value moist of 3 or 4, and chroma moist from 1 through 4. Texture is silt loam or very fine sandy loam, with 0 to 10 percent subangular gravel and cobble.
The 2BC horizon has moist hue from 10YR to 5Y; value moist of 3 or 4; and chroma moist from 1 through 3. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam. Coarse fragment content ranges from 20 to 45 percent with 20 to 45 percent subangular gravel and 0 to 10 percent subangular cobble. This horizon is absent in some pedons.
The 2C horizon has hue from 10YR to 5Y; value moist from 3 to 5; and chroma moist from 1 to 3. Texture is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. Coarse fragment content ranges from 35 to 60 percent, with 25 to 40 percent subangular gravel and 0 to 25 percent subangular cobble.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Kalsin, Olds, Pasagshak, Salonie, and Ugak series. Kalsin, Olds, and Salonie soils all have sandy skeletal material in the lower part of the control section. Pasagshak soils lack amorphous material in the control section. Ugak soils have andic properties throughout the entire control section and do not have greater than 35 percent coarse fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Snowdance soils are on dissected undulating tablelands, along footslopes and in drainages and depressions on mountainsides.. The soils formed in glacial till which has been mantled by an admixture of volcanic ash and loess. The mean annual temperature is about 33 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 42 inches. Slope ranges from 0 to 25 percent.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Medium runoff. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying glacial till. In some profiles the water table has lowered, resulting in altered drainage.
USE AND VEGETATION: Snowdance soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat, rangeland, and recreation. Native vegetation consists of willow or alder shrub, bluejoint grass, and associated forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southcentral Alaska The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Anchorage, Alaska
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Matanuska-Susitna Area, Alaska 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include: an umbric epipedon from 0 to 8 inches; mottling and matrix chroma of 2 or less within 20 inches; cryic temperature regime; bulk density of less than 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter and assumed andic properties in the upper part of the control section; loamy-skeletal material in the lower part of the control section.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.
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Introduction and Key to Plant Communities Introduction and Key to Ecosystems
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Contact: Mike Gracz Old Town Professional Center 3430 Main Street Suite B1 Homer, AK 99603 907-235-2218 |
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