Figure 1. Site location (Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos)

Figure 2. Soil profile (Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos courtesy of Jin ZHang)

July 11, 2012. Site #1 was located in a mixed Spruce and Aspen woodlot northwest of Farmington near Kiskatinaw Park (Figure 1).  Underbrush consisted of ferns and small shrubs such as soapberry.  Our pit was located in a clearing where the Spruce had been harvested at the base of a small slope.

Figure 3. Fungal mycelium from the F horizon (Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos courtesy of Jin ZHang)

The LFH horizon was predominantly litter and fibric materials (Figure 3).  There was an abrupt, wavy boundary leading into the loam textured Ahe horizon.  Weak, coarse subangular blocky peds were found, breaking into weak medium platy secondary structures when moist.  The soil’s brown colour (10 YR 4/3) suggested accumulation of organic matter lead from the litter above.  No coarse fragments, mottling, clay films, or effervescence were present.

Figure 4. Clay accumulation in Bt horizon (Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos courtesy of Jin ZHang)

A clear, smooth boundary led to the Aeg horizon.  The silt loam soil broke into weak, very coarse angular blocky peds with weak, coarse platy secondary structures.  The brown, 10 YR 5/3 matrix colour was slightly paler than the horizon above.  Plentiful, distinct strong brown (7.5 YR 4/6) mottles were visible in the moist soil.  Again, coarse fragments, clay films, and effervescence were not found.  The Bt₁ was found below a clear, wavy boundary (Figure 4).  This horizon contained about two percent subrounded gravel sized coarse fragments.  While some of the gravels appeared to be weathered granitic rock, others were darker and had a flat, slate like appearance.  The clay-textured soil had a massive structure with moderate, coarse angular blocky secondary structures.  The very dark greyish brown (10 YR 3/2) soil did not have any mottling.  Many medium thick clay films could be found in pore spaces and on the horizontal and vertical ped faces.  There was a diffuse wavy boundary leading into the Bt₂ horizon which was very similar to the Bt₁ horizon.  It contained about four percent gravel and the less frequent clay films were described as common.  We classified this soil as a Luvisol based on the presence of illuviated horizons and absence of strong mottling.  Based on site observations and the colouration and temperature regime, we classified this soil as an Orthic Gray Luvisol.