LOCATION MUSTANG            TX

MUSTANG SERIES

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Siliceous, hyperthermic Typic Psammaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Mustang fine sand--in an area of Panam-Mustang complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes on a slightly concave 0 to 1 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 0.9 meters (3 ft). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 in); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; single grain; loose; 5 percent very fine and fine roots and 2 percent medium roots; 15 percent medium and coarse prominent gray (2.5Y 5/1) iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent fine and medium prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 10; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

A2--10 to 28 cm (4 to 11 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; single grain; loose; 4 percent very fine and fine roots; 2 percent fine and medium distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 2 percent fine and medium distinct light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) and 1 percent fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 6; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 15 to 48 cm [6 to 19 in].)

Cg1--28 to 53 cm (11 to 21 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; single grain; loose; 3 percent very fine and fine roots; 7 percent medium faint grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) and 1 percent medium and coarse distinct very dark gray (N 3/) and dark gray (N 4/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in matrix; 2 percent fine and medium prominent light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 7; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg2--53 to 86 cm (21 to 34 in); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; 2 percent very fine and fine roots; 2 percent fine and medium faint gray (2.5Y 5/1) and 1 percent fine and medium distinct very dark gray (N 3/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent fine and medium distinct light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 6; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg3--86 to 114 cm (34 to 45 in); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sand, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; single grain; loose; 1 percent very fine and fine roots; 1 percent fine distinct light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 7; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg4--114 to 145 cm (45 to 57 in); gray (5Y 5/1) fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; 5 percent medium distinct dark gray (N 4/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 20 percent medium and coarse prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent fine and medium shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 5; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg5--145 to 180 cm (57 to 71 in); gray (5Y 6/1) fine sand, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; single grain; loose; 5 percent medium distinct dark gray (N 4/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 5 percent medium and coarse prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent fine shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 6; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Cg horizon is 155 to 188 cm [61 to 74 in].)

Cg6--180 to 203 cm (71 to 80 in); gray (5Y 5/1) fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; 5 percent medium distinct dark gray (N 4/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent medium prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent fine and medium shell fragments; nonsaline; SAR is about 6; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Kleberg County, Texas; from the intersection of Park Road 22 and the county line between Kleberg and Nueces Counties; 8.0 miles southwest on Park Road 22 to the pay station entrance of Padre Island National Seashore; 4.5 miles southwest on Park Road 22 to the end of the paved road; 7.0 miles south on beach to the entrance of Pan Am Road; 0.2 miles northwest and 0.6 miles south on Pan Am Road; 120 feet west on an intermound barrier flat in rangeland. South Bird Island Southeast, Texas USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 27 degrees 18 minutes 51.80 seconds N; Longitude: 97 degrees 20 minutes 33.30 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An aquic soil moisture regime. Although rainfall amounts are that of an ustic moisture regime, the soil has a permanent water table at depths of 25 to 76 cm (10 to 30 in) throughout the year in most years. The soil is rarely, if ever, at the wilting point below 25 cm (10 in) and it is saturated or ponded for periods of several days or weeks following heavy rains. Coarse fragments of marine shells and shell fragments comprise less than 15 percent by volume.
Mean annual soil temperature: 23 to 24 degrees C (74 to 76 degrees F)
Depth to masses of oxidized iron: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in)
Depth to iron depletions: 15 to 61 cm (6 to 24 in)
Depth to endosaturation: 25 to 76 cm (10 to 30 in) throughout the year in most years.

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Sand content: 95 to 99 percent
The particle-size control section has less than 5 percent silt plus clay.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sand
Redox Concentration: amount--0 to 8 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear to sharp, shades--brown or yellow
Redox depletions: amount--0 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--diffuse or clear, shades--gray
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 0 to 10
Reaction: neutral to strongly alkaline

C horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sand
Redox Concentration: amount--0 to 5 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear to sharp, shades--brown or yellow
Redox depletions: amount--0 to 10 percent, size-fine or medium, contrast--faint or distinct, boundary--diffuse or clear, shades--gray
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 0 to 8
Reaction: neutral to strongly alkaline

Cg horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY or N/
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: fine sand
Redox Concentration: amount--1 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear to sharp, shades--brown or yellow
Redox depletions: amount--1 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint or distinct, boundary--diffuse or clear, shades--gray
EC (dS/m): 0 to 2
SAR: 0 to 8
Reaction: neutral to strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dianola (TX), Kesson (FL), Pompano (FL) and Novillo (TX) series in the same family. Similar soils include the Basinger (FL), Captiva (FL), Hallandale (FL), Madre (TX), Margate (FL), Moultrie (FL), Satatton (TX), Tatton (TX), and Valkaria (FL) series.
Dianola soils: have more than 5 percent silt plus clay, have EC of 26 to 70, and have SAR of more than 13.
Kesson soils: are very poorly drained, have EC more than 16, and are subject to tidal flooding.
Pompano soils: are very poorly drained and have average annual precipitation range of 122 to 132 cm (48 to 52 in).
Novillo soils: have an O horizon, are very poorly drained, and are ponded for very long periods.
Basinger, Moultrie and Valkaria soils: are Spodic Psammaquents
Captiva and Margate soils: are Mollic Psammaquents
Hallandale soils: are Lithic Psammaquents
Madre, Satatton and Tatton soils: are Sodic Psammaquents

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Eolian and storm washover sandy sediments of Holocene age
Landform: nearly level barrier flats or shallow depressions between dunes and low mounds on barrier islands
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 22 to 23 degrees C (71 to 73 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 635 to 1219 mm (25 to 48 in)
Precipitation Pattern: November through April are the driest months, with a second dry period in July. September is the wettest month.
Frost-free period: 310 to 350 days
Elevation: 0 to 2 meters (0 to 5 ft)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 31 to 62

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Daggerhill, Dianola, Galveston, Greenhill, Karankawa, Madre, Malaquite, Nass, Novillo, Padre, Panam, and Veston series.
Daggerhill and Greenhill soils: are Ustic Quartzipsamments and are on a higher landform position on convex foredunes and back-island dune fields.
Dianola and Madre soils: are on a similar to slightly lower landforms and have higher SAR and EC values.
Galveston, Padre and Panam soils: are not saturated with water at some period of the year, and are on slightly higher landforms on low dunes or mounds on barrier flats.
Karankawa soils: have a coarse-loamy control section and are on a lower landform in tidal marshes.
Malaquite soils: are Typic Halaquepts and are on a slightly lower landform.
Nass soils: have a coarse-loamy control section and are in a lower concave landform.
Novillo soils: are in a lower concave landform in fresh-water marshes.
Veston soils: have a fine-silty control section and are on a similar landform.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; runoff is negligible due to the depressional feature of the barrier flat. Permeability is very slow. These soils are subject to occasional flooding for brief periods by high storm surge during strong tropical storms. The soils are ponded for several days to several weeks following periods of heavy rainfall.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily as wildlife habitat and for recreation. A few areas are used for livestock grazing. Native vegetation is gulfdune paspalum, marshay cordgrass, seashore dropseed, Scribners panicum, and beaked spikerush. The ecological site is Low Coastal Sand, PE 31-44 (R150BY650TX).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Saline Prairies (MLRA 150B in LRR T) on barrier islands along the lower Gulf Coast of Texas. The series is extensive.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County Soil Survey; 1963. The name is from Mustang Island.

REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.
Sand mineralogy changed from mixed to siliceous based on a study by USDA-NRCS of the mineralogy of the barrier island system in 2002. The series range of electrical conductivity (EC) in the control section was changed from 0 to 8, to 0 to 2 in 2004 during the Soil Survey of Kenedy and Kleberg Counties, Texas. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Aquic conditions: These soils remain saturated and have reducing conditions for at least one month in most years from 28 to 203 cm (11 to 80 in). (Cg1, Cg2, Cg3, Cg4, Cg5 and Cg6 horizons)
Particle size control section: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in). (A2, Cg1, Cg2 and Cg3 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 28 cm (0 to 11 in). (A1 and A2 horizons)
Masses of oxidized iron: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in). (A1, A2, Cg1, Cg2, Cg3, Cg4, Cg5 and Cg6 horizons)
Iron depletions or depleted matrix: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in). (A1, A2, Cg1, Cg2, Cg3, Cg4, Cg5 and Cg6 horizons)
Endosaturation: The zone of saturation at 28 to 203 cm (11 to 80 in). (Cg1, Cg2, Cg3, Cg4, Cg5 and Cg6 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Characterization data from the type location (S03TX-273-003). Sampled for THD data from Brazoria County, Texas (S76TX039-014). TAMU Reference Samples for mineralogy from Kenedy and Kleberg Counties, Texas (S01TX-261-001, S01TX-273-009, S01TX-273-010, and S01TX-273-012. Particle-size analysis, salinity and sodicity tests performed on eight pedons at the soil survey project office.

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006