Soil Data Explorer - FOSSUM

Official Series Description

Lab Data Summary

Aggregate lab data for the FOSSUM soil series. This aggregation is based on all pedons with a current taxon name of FOSSUM, and applied along 1-cm thick depth slices. Solid lines are the slice-wise median, bounded on either side by the interval defined by the slice-wise 5th and 95th percentiles. The median is the value that splits the data in half. Five percent of the data are less than the 5th percentile, and five percent of the data are greater than the 95th percentile. Values along the right hand side y-axis describe the proportion of pedon data that contribute to aggregate values at this depth. For example, a value of "90%" at 25cm means that 90% of the pedons correlated to FOSSUM were used in the calculation. Source: KSSL snapshot (updated 2020-03-13). Methods used to assemble the KSSL snapshot used by SoilWeb / SDE

Pedons used in the lab summary:

MLRA	Lab ID	Pedon ID	Taxonname	CI	NSSL / NASIS Reports	Link To SoilWeb GMap
56	UMN2257	S1976MN0272257	Fossum	2	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	46.7636795,-96.4850998

Water Balance

Monthly water balance estimated using a leaky-bucket style model for the FOSSUM soil series. Monthly precipitation (PPT) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) have been estimated from the 50th percentile of gridded values (PRISM 1981-2010) overlapping with the extent of SSURGO map units containing each series as a major component. Monthly PET values were estimated using the method of Thornthwaite (1948). These (and other) climatic parameters are calculated with each SSURGO refresh and provided by the fetchOSD function of the soilDB package. Representative water storage values (“AWC” in the figures) were derived from SSURGO by taking the 50th percentile of profile-total water storage (sum[awc_r * horizon thickness]) for each soil series. Note that this representation of “water storage” is based on the average ability of most plants to extract soil water between 15 bar (“permanent wilting point”) and 1/3 bar (“field capacity”) matric potential. Soil moisture state can be roughly interpreted as “dry” when storage is depleted, “moist” when storage is between 0mm and AWC, and “wet” when there is a surplus. Clearly there are a lot of assumptions baked into this kind of monthly water balance. This is still a work in progress.

Sibling Summary

Siblings are those soil series that occur together in map units, in this case with the FOSSUM series. Sketches are arranged according to their subgroup-level taxonomic structure. Source: SSURGO snapshot (updated 2024-02-21), parsed OSD records (updated 2023-10-02) and snapshot of SC database (updated 2023-10-02).

Select annual climate data summaries for the FOSSUM series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2023-10-09).

Geomorphic description summaries for the FOSSUM series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Small Shannon entropy values suggest relatively consistent geomorphic association, while larger values suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2023-10-04).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

Competing Series

Soil series competing with FOSSUM share the same family level classification in Soil Taxonomy. Source: parsed OSD records (updated 2023-10-02) and snapshot of the SC database (updated 2023-10-02).

Select annual climate data summaries for the FOSSUM series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2023-10-09).

Geomorphic description summaries for the FOSSUM series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Shannon entropy values close to 0 represent soil series with relatively consistent geomorphic association, while values close to 1 suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2023-10-04).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D hills figure.

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

There are insufficient data to create the 3D terrace figure.

Soil series sharing subgroup-level classification with FOSSUM, arranged according to family differentiae. Hovering over a series name will print full classification and a small sketch from the OSD. Source: snapshot of SC database (updated 2023-10-02).

Block Diagrams

Click a link below to display the diagram. Note that these diagrams may be from multiple survey areas.

1. ND-2012-02-08-21 | McHenry County - October 1990

   Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Hecla-Aylmer-Ulen association (Soil Survey of McHenry County, North Dakota; October 1990).

2. ND-2012-02-08-23 | McHenry County - October 1990

   Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Towner-Swenoda-Hecla association (Soil Survey of McHenry County, North Dakota; October 1990).

3. SD-2012-03-14-07 | Brown County - April 1993

   Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Serden-Hamar-Venlo and Hecla-Hamar-Ulen associations (Soil Survey of Brown County, SD; 1993).

Map Units

Map units containing FOSSUM as a major component. Limited to 250 records.

Map Unit Name	Symbol	Map Unit Area (ac)	Map Unit Key	National Map Unit Symbol	Soil Survey Area	Publication Date	Map Scale
Fossum sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes	J5A	3419	434762	gldl	mn151	2000	1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	F33A	567	2587781	2q3vy	nd005		1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	444	2573731	2q4ht	nd005		1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	F32A	41	2587677	2q3vx	nd005		1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	F32A	1475	2585968	2q3vx	nd009	1981	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	1802	2575282	2q4ht	nd021	1989	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G32A	757	2575319	2q50g	nd021	1989	1:20000
Stirum-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G361A	75	2575322	2q50p	nd021	1989	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	1073	2575429	2q4ht	nd027		1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	F33A	14914	2585814	2q3vy	nd049	1987	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	F32A	6680	2585668	2q3vx	nd049	1987	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G32A	2154	2571360	2q50g	nd049	1987	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	1368	2571344	2q4ht	nd049	1987	1:20000
Aylmer-Fossum complex, 0 to 6 percent slopes	F386B	1367	2585722	2q54r	nd049	1987	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	C13A	224	2566644	2q2h2	nd055	1974	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	137	2577270	2q4ht	nd063		1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	F33A	5104	2587304	2q3vy	nd069	1975	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	3932	2582271	2q4ht	nd069	1975	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	F32A	2417	2587234	2q3vx	nd069	1975	1:20000
Aylmer-Fossum complex, 0 to 6 percent slopes	F386B	1362	2587255	2q54r	nd069	1975	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G32A	1182	2582301	2q50g	nd069	1975	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, saline, 0 to 1 percent slopes	F351A	570	2587192	2q545	nd069	1975	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	75	2581140	2q4ht	nd073	1992	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	F32A	686	2588098	2q3vx	nd079	1990	1:24000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	F33A	13	2588236	2q3vy	nd079	1990	1:24000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	3338	2579474	2q4ht	nd081	1959	1:12000
Stirum-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G361A	2380	2579475	2q50p	nd081	1959	1:12000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G32A	1504	2579454	2q50g	nd081	1959	1:12000
Venlo-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G72A	1226	2579439	2q4np	nd081	1959	1:12000
Fossum loamy sand, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G74A	779	2581964	2q4ny	nd083	1990	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	C13A	474	2566784	2q2h2	nd083	1990	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	86	2581954	2q4ht	nd083	1990	1:20000
Venlo-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G72A	76	2581961	2q4np	nd083	1990	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G32A	47	2581984	2q50g	nd083	1990	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G33A	596	2581348	2q4ht	nd093	1990	1:24000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	C13A	96	2566832	2q2h2	nd093	1990	1:24000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G033A	1200	2797651	2q4ht	sd013	1987	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G032A	794	2797668	2q50g	sd013	1987	1:20000
Stirum-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G361A	499	2797669	2q50p	sd013	1987	1:20000
Venlo-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G072A	93	2797653	2q4np	sd013	1987	1:20000
Fossum sandy loam	Fx	173	416862	fzs5	sd039	1992	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently ponded	G032A	297	2799287	2q50g	sd091	1970	1:20000
Venlo-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G072A	47	2799279	2q4np	sd091	1970	1:20000
Stirum-Fossum fine sandy loams, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G361A	21	2799288	2q50p	sd091	1970	1:20000
Fossum fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	G033A	17	2799278	2q4ht	sd091	1970	1:20000

Map of Series Extent

Approximate geographic distribution of the FOSSUM soil series. To learn more about how this distribution was mapped, or to compare this soil series extent to others, use the Series Extent Explorer (SEE) application. Source: generalization of SSURGO geometry (updated 2023-10-04).