Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos

Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos

Site four was perhaps the most complex soil encountered.  A thick layer of decomposing litter from the black spruce forest required the use of a Pulaski to penetrate.  A clear, smooth boundary led to the Ahe horizon that had a sandy clay loam texture.  Moderate, very coarse platy structures were identified.  The moist matrix colour of the soil was dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) due to enrichment with organic matter.  Plentiful fine vertical roots were found throughout the matrix.  There were also plentiful coarse roots oriented horizontally in the matrix.  The pH value was 4.5.

Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos

The Bg horizon was found beneath an abrupt, smooth boundary.  The texture of the Bg was sandy clay.  The structure of this horizon was moderately strong coarse platy.  The matrix of the moist soil had a brown colour (10YR 4/2).  Many coarse mottles were apparent in this horizon.  The colour of the mottles was strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), producing a distinct contrast from the moist matrix colour.   Few medium-sized randomly oriented roots were found in the matrix of this horizon.  The pH of this horizon was also 4.5.  There were plentiful fine pores vertically oriented in the matrix of the soil. Beneath an abrupt, smooth boundary was the Btg horizon, which also was textured as sandy clay.  The moderate platy structures in this horizon were fine.  While the matrix colour of the soil was 10YR 4/1, many medium 10YR 5/6 mottles with sharp boundaries were present.  These mottles were described as prominent due to the difference in both value and chroma.  No roots were found in this horizon.  The soil was more acidic, with a pH value of 4.0.  Plentiful very fine pores were found vertically oriented in the matrix of the soil. Many medium thick clay films were found in many pores and on some vertical and horizontal ped faces.  The Btg horizon gradually transitioned into the C horizon with a wavy boundary.

Photo by Flickr user PRSSS Photos

The C horizon had a clay texture and massive structure.  Using an auger, we determined that there was no change in texture between 42 and 72 cm.  The colour of this horizon was very dark grey (10YR 3/1) and lacked mottles and roots.  No coarse fragments were found in this soil profile.