10
Soils of the Lake Ontario Coastal Zone
10.1 Introduction
Lake Ontario is the smallest (18,960 km
2 ), easternmost
(76.30 W), and has lowest surface elevation (74 m) of the
Great Lakes. The northern and eastern shores of Lake
Ontario feature rocks derived from dolomitic limestone and
sandstone; the southern shore is composed of dolomitic
limestone. Whereas the north shore of Lake Ontario features
temperate mixed coniferous-broadleaved forest, the north,
east, and southern coastline has temperate broadleaved forest. The soils of Lake Ontario are derived from lacustrine
sediments and wave-washed till from the Iroquois lake stage
approximately 13 kyr BP.
10.2 Soils by Natural Resource Segment
The Lake Ontario coastal zone is composed primarily of
Hapludalfs, Endoaqualfs-Epiaqualfs, and Fragiudepts
(Table 6.1; Fig. 10.1). Urban areas are extensive around
Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario and Rochester, New York.
Lake Ontario can be divided into two segments based on
MLRAs, parent materials, and dominant soil series. The first
segment follows the US Lake Ontario coastal zone is from
Youngstown to Cape Vincent, New York and is part of
MLRA 101, the Ontario-Erie Plain and Finger Lakes
Region. The parent materials are eolian sand, lacustrine silts,
calcareous loamy till over shale or dolomitic limestone
(Figs. 10.2 and 10.3).
The dominant great groups are Hapludalfs (Collamer,
Dunkirk, and Hilton soil series), Endoaqualfs (Niagara and
Rhinebeck), and Fragiudepts (Ira, Sodus, and Williamson),
with some Udipsamments (Colonie) and Endoaquepts
(Canandaigua). Derived from deep, marly organic materials
over sandy lacustrine sediments, the Edwards (Fig. 10.4).
The Martisco soil series is a Histic Humaquepts that has
formed in a thin mantle (10 inches; 25 cm) of highly
decomposed, black organic deposits overlying gray marl
(Fig. 10.5). The Vergennes soil series, a Glossaquic
Hapludalfs, is formed from calcareous estuarine and
glaciolacustrine clays in the eastern Lake Ontario basin
(Fig. 10.6). The photo shows only the dark grayish brown
Ap horizon and the grayish brown, clayey B/E (glossic)
horizon. The Churchville soil series, an Aeric Endoaqualfs,
occurs along the southern Lake Ontario shores (Fig. 5.3).
The second segment of the Lake Ontario coastal zone
extends from Kingston to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
(Iroquois Plain). The parent materials are lacustrine silt, clay,
and sand and fine-loamy till (Figs. 10.7, 10.8, and 10.9). The
major great groups are Endo-, Epiaqualfs (Chinguacousy,
Edenvale, Guerin, Landsdowne, Smithfield, Solmesville,
Tecumseth, Tavistock, Vineland soil series), Hapludalfs
(Bondhead, Bookton, Colborne, Dundonald, Fox, Grimsby,
and Newcastle), Hapludolls (Ameliasburg, Athol, and
Farmington), and Eutrudepts (Brighton, Hillier, and Otonabee), with some Endo-, Epiaquepts (Nappanee and Gilford),
Endo-, Epiaquolls (Lindsay), Udipsamments (Eastport),
Humaquepts (Gerow), and Haplosaprists (i.e., marsh). Sand
dunes occur at Sandbanks, from Brighton to Port Hope, from
Pickering to Burlington, and near St. Catharines.
Along the US portion of the GLCZ, 56% of the soil series
occur on one lake only; 30% occur along two lakes, 13%
around three lakes, and 1.3% around four lakes (Fig. 10.10).
The dominant great groups containing soil series around
three or four lakes are Haplosaprists (13 soil series),
Haplorthods (9), Endoaquolls (7), Udipsamments and
Hapludalfs (6 soil series each). No soil series occurred
around all five lakes.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. G. Bockheim, Soils of the Laurentian Great Lakes, USA and Canada,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52425-8_10
129
Soils of the Lake Ontario Coastal Zone
10.1 Introduction
Lake Ontario is the smallest (18,960 km
2 ), easternmost
(76.30 W), and has lowest surface elevation (74 m) of the
Great Lakes. The northern and eastern shores of Lake
Ontario feature rocks derived from dolomitic limestone and
sandstone; the southern shore is composed of dolomitic
limestone. Whereas the north shore of Lake Ontario features
temperate mixed coniferous-broadleaved forest, the north,
east, and southern coastline has temperate broadleaved forest. The soils of Lake Ontario are derived from lacustrine
sediments and wave-washed till from the Iroquois lake stage
approximately 13 kyr BP.
10.2 Soils by Natural Resource Segment
The Lake Ontario coastal zone is composed primarily of
Hapludalfs, Endoaqualfs-Epiaqualfs, and Fragiudepts
(Table 6.1; Fig. 10.1). Urban areas are extensive around
Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario and Rochester, New York.
Lake Ontario can be divided into two segments based on
MLRAs, parent materials, and dominant soil series. The first
segment follows the US Lake Ontario coastal zone is from
Youngstown to Cape Vincent, New York and is part of
MLRA 101, the Ontario-Erie Plain and Finger Lakes
Region. The parent materials are eolian sand, lacustrine silts,
calcareous loamy till over shale or dolomitic limestone
(Figs. 10.2 and 10.3).
The dominant great groups are Hapludalfs (Collamer,
Dunkirk, and Hilton soil series), Endoaqualfs (Niagara and
Rhinebeck), and Fragiudepts (Ira, Sodus, and Williamson),
with some Udipsamments (Colonie) and Endoaquepts
(Canandaigua). Derived from deep, marly organic materials
over sandy lacustrine sediments, the Edwards (Fig. 10.4).
The Martisco soil series is a Histic Humaquepts that has
formed in a thin mantle (10 inches; 25 cm) of highly
decomposed, black organic deposits overlying gray marl
(Fig. 10.5). The Vergennes soil series, a Glossaquic
Hapludalfs, is formed from calcareous estuarine and
glaciolacustrine clays in the eastern Lake Ontario basin
(Fig. 10.6). The photo shows only the dark grayish brown
Ap horizon and the grayish brown, clayey B/E (glossic)
horizon. The Churchville soil series, an Aeric Endoaqualfs,
occurs along the southern Lake Ontario shores (Fig. 5.3).
The second segment of the Lake Ontario coastal zone
extends from Kingston to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
(Iroquois Plain). The parent materials are lacustrine silt, clay,
and sand and fine-loamy till (Figs. 10.7, 10.8, and 10.9). The
major great groups are Endo-, Epiaqualfs (Chinguacousy,
Edenvale, Guerin, Landsdowne, Smithfield, Solmesville,
Tecumseth, Tavistock, Vineland soil series), Hapludalfs
(Bondhead, Bookton, Colborne, Dundonald, Fox, Grimsby,
and Newcastle), Hapludolls (Ameliasburg, Athol, and
Farmington), and Eutrudepts (Brighton, Hillier, and Otonabee), with some Endo-, Epiaquepts (Nappanee and Gilford),
Endo-, Epiaquolls (Lindsay), Udipsamments (Eastport),
Humaquepts (Gerow), and Haplosaprists (i.e., marsh). Sand
dunes occur at Sandbanks, from Brighton to Port Hope, from
Pickering to Burlington, and near St. Catharines.
Along the US portion of the GLCZ, 56% of the soil series
occur on one lake only; 30% occur along two lakes, 13%
around three lakes, and 1.3% around four lakes (Fig. 10.10).
The dominant great groups containing soil series around
three or four lakes are Haplosaprists (13 soil series),
Haplorthods (9), Endoaquolls (7), Udipsamments and
Hapludalfs (6 soil series each). No soil series occurred
around all five lakes.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. G. Bockheim, Soils of the Laurentian Great Lakes, USA and Canada,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52425-8_10
129