5
Soils of the Great Lakes Coastal Zone
5.1
Introduction
The previous chapter outlined the taxonomic structure of
soils and soil-forming factors in the Great Lakes Coastal
Zone, recognizing that Alfisols are the dominant soil order
(28% of all soil series), followed by Spodosols (27%),
Inceptisols (19%), Entisols (12%), Mollisols (11%), and
Histosols (4%) (Table 4.1). This chapter examines the
dominant soil great groups, soil climate, vegetation, parent
materials, landforms, time required to establish the soil
within each order. Chaps. 6 through 10 will examine soils,
parent materials, and landforms by segment around each
lake.
5.2
Alfisols
Alfisols are the most abundant soil order in the Great Lakes
Coastal Zone in terms of number of soil series and area.
Alfisols occur mostly along the Lake Michigan and Lake
Erie shores, but they also are present on the shores of Lake
Huron, Superior, and Ontario. The well-drained Udalfs
comprise 72% of the Alfisols and the poorly drained Aqualfs
the remaining 28% (see Table 4.1). Hapludalfs (45%) are the
predominant great group within the Alfisols, followed by
Glossudalfs (26%), Endoaqualfs (16%), and Epiaqualfs
(9.3%).
The Collamer, Hegberg, Rimer, Augustana, Bonduel,
Boyer, Dunkirk, Emmet, Forbay, Gageville, Hilton,
Kewaunee, Kibbie, Manawa, Onaway, Spinks, and Symco
soil series are commonly occurring Hapludalfs, especially
along Lake Michigan. Two examples of Hapludalfs are the
Augustana or Hegberg (upper) and Rimer (lower) series
(Fig. 5.1). The Augustana-Hegberg soil series (Fig. 5.1a) is
derived from 30 cm of loamy lacustrine sediments over
loamy till. The Bt horizons are derived from both sediments
and have a reddish brown color with a pronounced subangular blocky structure. The Rimer soil series (Fig. 5.1b) is
derived from 28 in. (71 cm) of glaciolacustrine material over
clayey till. The profile includes a dark brown Ap horizon
from 0 to 10 in. (0–25 cm), a yellowish brown E1 horizon
from 10 to 17 in. (25–43 cm), a brown E2 horizon from 17
to 23 in. (43–58 cm), and a Bt horizon from 23 in. (58 cm)
to the bottom of the tape with Fe depletions (whitish zones).
The Miskoaki, Big Iron, Flintsteel, Omena, and Sanborg
are frequently occurring Glossudalfs, particularly around
Lakes Superior and Huron. The Sanborg and Amnicon soils
are shown in Fig. 5.2. The Sanborg soil series (Fig. 5.2a) is
derived from clayey till. A glossic horizon (E/B and B/E)
extends from 5 to 17 in. (12–43 cm), has zones of reddish
brown (B) and pink (E colors, and represents the degradation
of an argillic (Bt) horizon. The argillic horizon is between 17
and 48 in. (43–122 cm) and has a strong prismatic structure.
The Amnicon soil series also is derived from clayey reddish
brown till. The profile has a dark brown A horizon from 0 to
2 in. (0–5 cm), a pinkish gray E horizon from 2 to 5 in.
(5–12 cm), a glossic horizon (E/B and B/E) from 5 to 16 in.
(12–41 cm), and a Bt horizon with prismatic structure to the
base of the pit.
The Niagara and Rhinebeck soil series are commonly
occurring Endoaqualfs, especially along the Lake Erie and
Lake Ontario shores. The Churchville soil series, an Aeric
Endoaqualfs, is depicted in Fig. 5.3. The soil is derived from
26 in. (66 cm) (the rock hammer is 11 in. or 27 cm long) of
clayey lacustrine materials over gravelly loam till. Gravels
are visible in the left center of the photo. The horizons
include a very dark grayish brown Ap from 0 to 9 in.
(23 cm), a pinkish gray E horizon from 9 to 15 in. (27–
38 cm), and a reddish brown Bt horizon from 15 in. (38 cm)
to the base of the pit.
The Blount and Eldes soil series are frequently occurring
Epiaqualfs. The Hoytville soil series, a Mollic Epiaqualfs, is
shown in Fig. 5.4. This soil is derived from clayey till and
contains a very dark grayish brown Ap horizon from 0 to 9
in. (23 cm) (base of the shovel handle), a dark gray E
horizon from 9 in. to 18 in. (23–46 cm) (end of the visible
wood portion of the shovel), a yellowish brown Btg horizon
from 18 to 40 in. (46–102 cm) (halfway along the blade of
© 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_5
59
Soils of the Great Lakes Coastal Zone
5.1
Introduction
The previous chapter outlined the taxonomic structure of
soils and soil-forming factors in the Great Lakes Coastal
Zone, recognizing that Alfisols are the dominant soil order
(28% of all soil series), followed by Spodosols (27%),
Inceptisols (19%), Entisols (12%), Mollisols (11%), and
Histosols (4%) (Table 4.1). This chapter examines the
dominant soil great groups, soil climate, vegetation, parent
materials, landforms, time required to establish the soil
within each order. Chaps. 6 through 10 will examine soils,
parent materials, and landforms by segment around each
lake.
5.2
Alfisols
Alfisols are the most abundant soil order in the Great Lakes
Coastal Zone in terms of number of soil series and area.
Alfisols occur mostly along the Lake Michigan and Lake
Erie shores, but they also are present on the shores of Lake
Huron, Superior, and Ontario. The well-drained Udalfs
comprise 72% of the Alfisols and the poorly drained Aqualfs
the remaining 28% (see Table 4.1). Hapludalfs (45%) are the
predominant great group within the Alfisols, followed by
Glossudalfs (26%), Endoaqualfs (16%), and Epiaqualfs
(9.3%).
The Collamer, Hegberg, Rimer, Augustana, Bonduel,
Boyer, Dunkirk, Emmet, Forbay, Gageville, Hilton,
Kewaunee, Kibbie, Manawa, Onaway, Spinks, and Symco
soil series are commonly occurring Hapludalfs, especially
along Lake Michigan. Two examples of Hapludalfs are the
Augustana or Hegberg (upper) and Rimer (lower) series
(Fig. 5.1). The Augustana-Hegberg soil series (Fig. 5.1a) is
derived from 30 cm of loamy lacustrine sediments over
loamy till. The Bt horizons are derived from both sediments
and have a reddish brown color with a pronounced subangular blocky structure. The Rimer soil series (Fig. 5.1b) is
derived from 28 in. (71 cm) of glaciolacustrine material over
clayey till. The profile includes a dark brown Ap horizon
from 0 to 10 in. (0–25 cm), a yellowish brown E1 horizon
from 10 to 17 in. (25–43 cm), a brown E2 horizon from 17
to 23 in. (43–58 cm), and a Bt horizon from 23 in. (58 cm)
to the bottom of the tape with Fe depletions (whitish zones).
The Miskoaki, Big Iron, Flintsteel, Omena, and Sanborg
are frequently occurring Glossudalfs, particularly around
Lakes Superior and Huron. The Sanborg and Amnicon soils
are shown in Fig. 5.2. The Sanborg soil series (Fig. 5.2a) is
derived from clayey till. A glossic horizon (E/B and B/E)
extends from 5 to 17 in. (12–43 cm), has zones of reddish
brown (B) and pink (E colors, and represents the degradation
of an argillic (Bt) horizon. The argillic horizon is between 17
and 48 in. (43–122 cm) and has a strong prismatic structure.
The Amnicon soil series also is derived from clayey reddish
brown till. The profile has a dark brown A horizon from 0 to
2 in. (0–5 cm), a pinkish gray E horizon from 2 to 5 in.
(5–12 cm), a glossic horizon (E/B and B/E) from 5 to 16 in.
(12–41 cm), and a Bt horizon with prismatic structure to the
base of the pit.
The Niagara and Rhinebeck soil series are commonly
occurring Endoaqualfs, especially along the Lake Erie and
Lake Ontario shores. The Churchville soil series, an Aeric
Endoaqualfs, is depicted in Fig. 5.3. The soil is derived from
26 in. (66 cm) (the rock hammer is 11 in. or 27 cm long) of
clayey lacustrine materials over gravelly loam till. Gravels
are visible in the left center of the photo. The horizons
include a very dark grayish brown Ap from 0 to 9 in.
(23 cm), a pinkish gray E horizon from 9 to 15 in. (27–
38 cm), and a reddish brown Bt horizon from 15 in. (38 cm)
to the base of the pit.
The Blount and Eldes soil series are frequently occurring
Epiaqualfs. The Hoytville soil series, a Mollic Epiaqualfs, is
shown in Fig. 5.4. This soil is derived from clayey till and
contains a very dark grayish brown Ap horizon from 0 to 9
in. (23 cm) (base of the shovel handle), a dark gray E
horizon from 9 in. to 18 in. (23–46 cm) (end of the visible
wood portion of the shovel), a yellowish brown Btg horizon
from 18 to 40 in. (46–102 cm) (halfway along the blade of
© 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_5
59