1. A E
Spodosols
Bhs Bs
Joe Murphy BC

2. What are they? Acidic soils
White albic E horizon followed by reddish-brown spodic B horizon
Subsurface accumulation of humus and Al & Fe oxides
Leaching (Translocation) from A horizon into B horizon of clay, Fe, Al, and OM
Process -> Podzolization aka cheluviation
Cheluviation
Organic acids (anions) combine with oxidized Fe and Al cations which renders them soluble and mobile

4. Five Suborders of Spodosols
Aquods
Gelods
Cryods
Humods
Orthods

5. Aquods
Poorly drained Spodosols with a water table at or near the surface for much of the year
Florida and along the Atlantic Coast
Water loving plants, mosses, mixed forest, palms
Typically, used as forest or wildlife habitat areas
Agriculturally used in New Jersey and Florida

6. Gelods
Spodosols of very cold climates (mean annual soil temperature of < 0 degrees Celsius)
High latitudes and/or high elevations
Alaska, mountains of Washington and Oregon,
some high mountains of New England region
Coniferous vegetation
Forest or wildlife habitats

7. Cryods Spodosols of cold climates Less cold than Gelods
High latitudes and/or high elevations
Alaska, mountains of Washington and Oregon, some high mountains of New England region
Coniferous vegetation
Forest or wildlife habitats

8. Humods
Well-drained Spodosols that contain relatively large quantities of OM
Mostly in Washington and Alaska
Coniferous vegetation
Forest areas

9. Orthods
Common Spodosols that don’t meet requirements of other suborders
What we saw at Cloquet Forestry Center (Aquods?)
Present on my family farm in Cushing, Wisconsin (NW Wisconsin)
Most prevalent suborder in U.S.
Can be highly responsive agriculturally if managed well
Addition of Lime and Nitrogen

10. Geographic Locations Coniferous forest with cool, moist climates
Ex. Cloquet Forestry Center (Footslope), Great Lakes region, Northwest Washington, Alaska, Northeast U.S.
Globally occur in 4% of ice-free land area
U.S. – 3.5% of land area
Francis Hole

14. Agriculture Impact
Most Spodosols are difficult to use from a cultivation stand point due to their high acidity thus making them infertile
Aquods = too wet (usually, irrigation)
Gelods and Cryods = too cold
Humods = too dense of forests
Orthods = just right! (when lime and/or nitrogen is applied to destroy the spodic horizon thus making it fertile)

16. Taking Soil Samples at Our Farm in NW Wisconsin. Hunting for Spodosols!
S/O to my mom and girlfriend Kai for being awesome field assistants!

17. Thanks!

18. Sources http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/spodosols.html
The Soils of Wisconsin by James G. Bockheim and Alfred E. Hartemink
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