Description of soil MBGRYS~~~~N (Gormley Lake, sphagnic)

Terric Mesisol

The soil is in native condition (undisturbed by agriculture).

The soil material is primarily composed of organic particles.

The water table is always present in the soil.

The growth of plant roots is not restricted by any soil layer.

Not Applicable

Water is removed from the soil so slowly that the water table remains at or on the surface for the greater part of the time the soil is not frozen. Excess water is present in the soil for the greater part of the time. Groundwater flow and subsurface flow are the major water sources. Precipitation is less important except where there is a perched water table with precipitation exceeding evapotranspiration. Soils have a wide range in available water storage capacity, texture, and depth, and are either Gleysolic or Organic.

These deposits consist of sphagnum or forest peat formed in an ombrotrophic environment caused by the slightly elevated nature of the bog. They tend to be disassociated from nutrient-rich ground water or surrounding mineral soils.

Fibric

pH < 5.6

This class is used for forest peatcovered or forest peat-filled areas where the water table is at or above the peat surface. The dominant peat materials are shallow to deep mesic to humic forest and fen peat formed in a eutrophic environment resulting from strong water movement from the margins or other mineral sources.

Mesic

pH 5.6 - 7.4

Used where there is evidence that the lacustrine materials were deposited in contact with glacial ice. One of the following characteristics must be present:

• kettles or an otherwise irregular surface that is neither simply the result of normal settling and compaction in silt nor the result of piping
• slump structures resulting from loss of support caused by melting of retaining ice
• presence of numerous ice-rafted stones in the lacustrine silts.

Coarse (USDA Texture Classes: FS,LCS,LS,LFS,GLS,CBLS).

< 6 CaCO₃ equivalent (%)