United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Southeast Coastal Plain and Caribbean Soil Survey Region #15 Go to Accessibility Information
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Alpin Series

  • Depth class: Very deep
  • Drainage class: Excessively drained
  • Permeability: Rapid
  • Parent material: Sandy marine sediments
  • Landscape: Coastal Plain uplands
  • Landform: Ridges and hillslopes
  • Slope: 5 to 12 percent
  • Taxonomic class: Thermic, coated Lamellic Quartzipsamments

The Alpin soils are commonly associated on the landscape with Centenary, Chipley, Foxworth, Lakeland, and Troup soils. The Centenary, Chipley, and Foxworth soils are in the lower positions, are more poorly drained than the Alpin soils, and do not have lamellae. The Lakeland soils are in positions similar to those of the Alpin soils and do not have lamellae. The Troup soils are in the lower positions, have a Bt horizon, and do not have lamellae.

Typical Pedon

Alpin sand, in an area of Alpin-Foxworth complex, 5 to 12 percent slopes; in Liberty County, Florida; USGS Bristol topographic quadrangle; lat. 33 degrees 22 minutes 33 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 54 minutes 48 seconds W.

  • Ap—0 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
  • E1—10 to 25 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sand; single grained; loose; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • E2—25 to 45 inches; yellow (10YR 7/6) sand; single grained; loose; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
  • E&Bt—45 to 80 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) sand (E); single grained; loose; few strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) loamy sand lamellae (Bt) about 5 millimeters thick; sand grains in lamellae are coated; individual lamellae are discontinuous in length; strongly acid.

Range in Characteristics

  • Depth to bedrock: Greater than 80 inches
  • Depth of sand: Greater than 80 inches
  • Reaction: Very strongly acid to slightly acid throughout, except where lime has been applied
  • A or Ap horizon:
    • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 3
    • Texture—sand or fine sand
  • E horizon:
    • Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 8; the small areas of uncoated sand grains that occur in some pedons are not related to wetness.
    • Texture—sand or fine sand
    • Texture of fine-earth plus silt fraction—5 to 10 percent in the 10- to 40-inch control section
  • E part of the E&Bt horizon:
    • Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 8; the small areas of uncoated sand grains that occur in some pedons are not related to wetness.
    • Texture—sand or fine sand
  • Bt part (lamellae) of the E&Bt horizon:
    • Color—hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 8
    • Size—1 to 16 millimeters in thickness and 2 centimeters to more than 1 meter in horizontal length
    • Texture—loamy sand, loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
  • C horizon (where present):
    • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 1 to 6
    • Texture—sand or fine sand


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