Inceptisols Map
Inceptisols are soils of cool to very warm, humid and subhumid regions. The
largest area is one that includes the southern New England States and the
Appalachian Mountains. Other areas are on the southern Great Plains; in the
Rocky Mountains; in eastern Montana; in the coastal and Cascade Mountains of
California, Oregon, and Washington; and in northeastern Minnesota. Inceptisols
have many kinds of diagnostic horizons and epipedons.
Dominant Suborders
Anthrepts
Anthrepts are the more or less freely drained Inceptisols that have either an
anthropic or plaggen epipedon. These soils are not known to occur in the United
States.
Aquepts
Aquepts are the wet Inceptisols. Their natural drainage is poor or very poor,
and, if the soils have not been artificially drained, ground water is at or near
the soil surface at some time during normal years but typically not in all
seasons. Many formed under forest vegetation, but they can have almost any kind
of vegetation. Aquepts are used mostly as cropland, pasture, forest, or wildlife
habitat.
Cryepts
Cryepts are the cold Inceptisols of high mountains or high latitudes. They
are mostly in the high mountains of the West as well as southern Alaska. The
vegetation is mostly conifers or mixed conifers and hardwoods. Most are used as
forest or wildlife habitat. Some of the soils, mostly those in Alaska, are used
as cropland.
Udepts
Udepts are mainly freely drained Inceptisols that have a udic or perudic
moisture regime. They are most extensive in the Appalachian Mountains, on the
Allegheny Plateau, in northeastern Minnesota, and in Oregon. Most of the soils
currently support or formerly supported forest vegetation, but some support
shrub or grass vegetation. The vegetation was mostly coniferous forest in the
Northwest and mixed or hardwood forest in the Eastern States. Most are used as
forest or have been cleared and are used as cropland or pasture.
Ustepts
Ustepts are freely drained Inceptisols that have an ustic moisture regime.
They are most common on the Great Plains, mostly in Montana, Texas, and
Oklahoma. The native vegetation commonly was grass, but some of the soils
supported trees. Most Ustepts are used as cropland or pasture. Some are used as
rangeland, forest, or wildlife habitat.
Xerepts
Xerepts are mainly freely drained Inceptisols that have a xeric moisture
regime. They are in the western part of the United States, mostly in California,
Oregon, and Washington. The native vegetation commonly was coniferous forest on
the soils with a frigid or mesic temperature regime and shrubs, grasses, and
widely spaced trees on the soils with a thermic temperature regime. Most Xerepts
are used as forest, cropland, or pasture. Some are used as rangeland or wildlife
habitat.
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