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Distribution and Properties of Some Tidal Marsh Soils of Apalachee Bay, Florida¹

ABSTRACT

Tidal marshland forms a border between the Apalachee Bay area of the Gulf of Mexico and the uplands of Taylor County, Florida. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the distribution of the tidal marsh soils and to measure some of the properties used in their classification. Three pedons representative of the major soils were described and sampled. The range of electrical conductivity is from 14 to 90 mmhos/cm. Field moist pH ranges from 5.6 to 7.8 and air dried pH values are 2 to 3 pH units lower. Content of S is < 0.75% in the Psammaquents and Haplaquods to 6.8% in the Sulfaquents. Oxidation of S to sulfates was probably responsible for the increase of soil acidity after drying. Cation exchange capacity ranges from 2 to 25 meq/100g for the Psammaquents and Haplaquods and from 25 to 75 meq/100 g for the Sulfaquents. Most soils are nearly base saturated. The soils classified in order of increasing elevation are members of the coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic Typic Sulfaquents; the sandy, siliceous, thermic Mollic Psammaquents; and the sandy, siliceous, thermic Aeric Haplaquods. Because of high potential acidity, low bearing strength, and high salinity, decisions concerning man's use of tidal marsh soils should be carefully made. Undisturbed, these are productive soils performing functions valuable to man.

¹ This research was sponsored in part by a grant from the Cooperative State Research Service, USDA.

² Associate Professor and Assistant Professor, Earth & Plant Science Dep., Florida A & M Univ., Tallahassee, Fla. 32307.

Received for publication August 29, 1974. Accepted for publication May 2, 1975.