LOCATION BARREN NY NJTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Typic Psammaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Barren sand, in a bayberry shrub and brush cover area on a flat plain on a 1 percent slope. (Colors are moist soils unless otherwise stated.)
A-- 0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sand; weak very fine granular structure; very friable; common, fine and medium roots; very strongly acid, abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches.)
Bw-- 5 to 11 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) sand; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few, very fine, fine, and medium roots; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation and distinct gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary (0 to 15 inches thick.)
Bg1-- 11 to 17 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sand; massive; very friable; few, very fine roots; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick.)
Bg2-- 17 to 35 inches; gray (2.5Y 6/1) fine sand; massive; very friable; few, very fine roots; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
C-- 35 to 50 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sand; massive; very friable; 13 percent rock fragments; strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the C horizons 20 to 40 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: Kings County, New York; Floyd Bennett Field, Gateway National Recreation Area, 47 feet Southeast of main runway off of model airplane field, 410 feet West Southwest off true corner of airfield; USGS Coney Island, NY topographic quadrangle; Latitude 40 degrees, 36 minutes, 13 seconds N. and Longitude 73 degrees, 53 minutes, 19 seconds W., NAD 1983.(Rockwell GPS Receiver)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the fill materials ranges from 40 to 80 inches. The anthropotransported material may be dredged, outwash or eolian materials. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 20 percent. Human artifact fragments range from 0 to 10 percent. Soil textures include fine sand or coarser. Pockets of clay or peat may be present. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 through 6, and chroma of 1 through 4. It is defined by weak very fine granular structure with low organic matter accumulations. Consistence is very friable.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 8, and chroma of 1 through 6. The upper part has weak very fine structure. The lower part is typically structureless and massive. Consistence is very friable.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 5 through 8, and chroma of 1 through 4. This horizon is typically structureless and massive. Consistence is very friable.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arloval, Carrolls, Conrad, Dair (T), Forbar, Gothenburg, Jamaica (T), Junius, Norway (T), Stafford, Tihonet (T), Tryon, Tyre, and Wanser series in the same family. Arloval, Carrolls, Conrad, Forbar, Gothenburg, Norway, Tihonet (T), Tryon, and Wanser soils lack B horizons. Dair (T) soils are not formed in anthrotransported materials. Jamaica (T) soils have average water table depths of 0 to 10 inches. Junius and Stafford soils have a solum thickness that range from 20 to 40 inches. Tyre soils have sandstone bedrock at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Barren soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping artificially created or modified landforms in filled areas. These soils formed in anthrotransported soil material from eolian sand, outwash, or dredging activities along coastal waterways, lakes, and rivers, in and near major urbanized areas of the Northeast. Sea shell fragments may be present. Slope ranges from 0 to 15 percent. Barren soils near shorelines may flood in very rare frequencies of brief duration during coastal storms. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 50 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bigapple (T), Breeze (T), Fortress (T), Hooksan, Ipswich, Jamaica (T), Matunuck, Pawcatuck, and Verrazano (T). Bigapple and Fortress occur on higher landscapes positions. Breeze soils average more than 10 percent (by volume) human artifacts throughout. Hooksan soils occur in wind transported sediments. Ipswich, Matunuck and Pawcatuck occur in organic deposits subject to tide flooding. Jamaica soils occur in depressions. Verrazano soils have a contrasting particle size class in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to very high. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of poison ivy, bay berry, Multiflora rose, Phragmites, Bitter sweet, Mugwort, Milkweed and Dogwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are on modified landscapes in and near major urbanized areas of the Northeast. MLRA 144A, 149A, and 149B. The soils of this series are of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts.
SERIES PROPOSED: Kings County, New York; 1998.
REMARKS: 1) Under a classification for man-disturbed soils, these soils may be classified as a type of (Dredgic), mixed, nonacid, mesic Dredgic Psammaquents.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1) Ochric epipedon - 0 to 5 inches.
2) Particle size class - sandy, less than 35 percent (by volume) coarse fragments.
3) Non-cambic pedogenic horizon - the zone 5 to 35 inches.
4) The classification of this series is provisional until new Taxonomic classifications are developed for Anthropogenic soils.