SOIL%20COLOR

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SOIL COLOR
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SOIL COLOR

• DETERMINANTS OF SOIL COLOR

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SOIL COLOR

• DETERMINANTS OF SOIL COLOR

1. Parent Material 2. Vegetation
Prairie vs. Forest 3. Age 4. Topography
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TOP SOIL COLOR

• INDICATES THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOIL

Black or Dark Brown - generally regarded as most
productive Red or Brown - considered less
fertile than black
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SOIL COLOR
MUNSELL COLOR CHARTS
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SUBSOIL COLOR
Can the color of the soil 1' to 6' under the
surface be really that important?
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SUBSOIL COLOR
Subsoil color is an indication of drainage
ability.
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SUBSOIL COLOR
COLOR
DRAINAGE Brown/Red
Excellent Bright Yellow
Moderate Pale Yellow
Fair Gray
Poor Dark
Variable
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SUBSOIL COLOR
What causes a subsoil to be red or brown? Iron x
Oxygen red Oxidation If pore space is
filled with water, oxidation can not occur.
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SUBSOIL COLOR
MOTTLED
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SUBSOIL COLOR
MOTTLED - Mixtures of gray, yellow, brown.
Marked with spots of colors. Indicates water
saturation at times and not at others.
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SUBSOIL COLOR

• DRAINAGE CLASSES

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SUBSOIL COLOR

• DRAINAGE CLASSES

Well drained - Brown to yellowish brown subsoil.
Water table fluctuates below the subsoil nearly
all the time.
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SUBSOIL COLOR

• DRAINAGE CLASSES

Moderately Well Drained - brown in upper 24",
mottling below.
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SUBSOIL COLOR

• DRAINAGE CLASSES

Somewhat poorly drained - Gray and brown mottled
subsoils. Water table reaches the top of the
subsoil.
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SUBSOIL COLOR

• DRAINAGE CLASSES

Poorly drained or Very poorly drained - Gray or
olive gray subsoil. Water table is near the top
of the soil for most of the year.
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Have a nice day!