Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F144BY505ME
Loamy over Sandy
Last updated: 6/29/2020
Accessed: 05/03/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 144B–New England and Eastern New York Upland, Northern Part
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 144B–New England and Eastern New York Upland, Northern Part
This major land resource area (MLRA) is characterized by plateaus, plains, and mountains. The climate is generally cool and humid with an average annual precipitation of 34 to 62 inches (865 to 1,575 millimeters). The average annual air temperature is typically 40 to 48 degrees F (4 to 9 degrees C). The freeze-free period generally is 130 to 200 days, but it ranges from 110 days in the higher mountains to 240 days in some areas along the Atlantic coast. The soils in this region are dominantly Entisols, Spodosols, and Inceptisols. They commonly have a fragipan. The dominant suborders are Ochrepts, Orthods, Aquepts, Fluvents, and Saprists. The soils in the region dominantly have a frigid soil temperature regime with some cryic areas at higher elevation, a udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Most of the land is forested, and 98 percent is privately owned. Significant amounts of forest products are produced including lumber, pulpwood, Christmas trees, and maple syrup. Principal agricultural crops include forage and grains for dairy cattle, potatoes, apples, and blueberries. Wildlife habitat and recreation are important land uses. Stoniness, steep slopes, and poor drainage limit the use of many of the soils.
Classification relationships
NRCS:
Land Resource Region: R—Northeastern Forage and Forest Region
MLRA: 144B—New England and Eastern New York Upland, Northern Part
Ecological site concept
This site occurs on various landforms where soils are stratified, with finer textures underlain by sandy textures. This site concept requires further consideration, but seems to usually support conifer and/or hardwood species, notably hemlock, red maple, and beech.
This site includes the following state natural heritage program types:
• Hemlock-spruce-northern hardwoods forest (Sperduto and Nichols 2004)
• Spruce-Northern Hardwoods Forest (Gawler and Cutko 2010)
• Hemlock-spruce-northern hardwoods forest (Thompson and Sorenson 2000)
Similar sites
| F144BY602ME |
Sandy Toeslope The Sandy Flat site does not have a loamy cap and is somewhat poorly- to moderately well-drained, whereas the Loamy over Sandy site is moderately well- to well-drained. |
|---|---|
| F144BY502ME |
Loamy Till Toeslope The Loamy Till Toeslope site produces similar species, but is poorly- to somewhat poorly-drained with loamy textures and dense loamy subsoil, whereas the Loamy Over Sandy site is moderately well- to well-drained with sandy subsoil. |
| F144BY601ME |
Dry Sand The Dry Sand site does not have a loamy cap and is well- to excessively-drained, whereas the Loamy Over Sandy site is moderately well- to well-drained and supports more hardwood production. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Tsuga canadensis |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
Not specified |
| Herbaceous |
Not specified |
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