Soil Survey of Murray and Whitfield Counties, Georgia

222 Soil Survey
include Hanceville, Hector, Nella, Allen, Nauvoo, and Sipsey. Soils that weathered from
cherty limestone are Fullerton, Minvale, Shack, and Bodine. The Dewey and
Waynesboro soils are derived from highly weathered limestone or very old alluvium on
uplands. Pasture, row crops, and timber production comprise the major land use for
these soils.
Soils found at the heads of drainageways and along narrow drains are deep or very
deep and are moderately well drained to poorly drained. In the Valley and Ridge
portion of Murray and Whitfield Counties, the soils formed in materials weathered from
shale, chert, sandstone, and limestone. These soils include Capshaw, Docena,
Guthrie, Ketona, Subligna, and Wax.
Soils on flood plains and terraces are the primary soils in the survey area used for
crop and sod production. In the Valley and Ridge portion of Whitfield and Murray
Counties, the flood plain soils include Arkabutla, Chenneby, and Shellbluff. Soils on
stream terraces are Capshaw, Holston, Whitwell, Docena, Waynesboro, and
Sequatchie. The Capshaw, Docena, and Whitwell soils are moderately well drained.
The Holston, Waynesboro, and Sequatchie soils are well drained. Soils on flood plains
in the Blue Ridge portion of eastern Murray County include Craigsville and Suches.
These soils are used primarily for pasture, row crops, and timber production.
Plants and Animals
The effects of plants, animals, and other organisms on soil formation are significant.
Plants and animals increase the content of organic matter and nitrogen in the soil,
increase or decrease the content of plant nutrients, and alter soil structure and porosity.
Plants recycle nutrients, add organic matter, and provide food and cover for
animals. They stabilize the surface layer so that soil-forming processes can continue.
They also provide a more stable environment for the soil-forming processes by
protecting the soils from extremes in temperature.
The soils in Murray and Whitfield Counties formed under a succession of briers,
brambles, and woody plants that yielded to pine and hardwoods. Later, the hardwoods
suppressed most other plants and became the climax vegetation.
Animals rearrange soil material by roughening the surface, forming and filling
channels, and shaping the peds and voids. The soil is mixed by ants, wasps, worms,
and spiders, which make channels; by crustaceans, such as crayfish; and by turtles
and foxes, which dig burrows. Humans affect the soil-forming process by tilling the
crops, removing natural vegetation and establishing different plants, and reducing or
increasing the level of fertility.
Bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms hasten the decomposition of organic
matter and increase the rate at which minerals are released for plant growth.
The net gains and losses caused by plants and animals are important in Murray
and Whitfield Counties. The relationships among plants and animals, climate, and
parent material, however, are very close; therefore, the soils within the survey area do
not differ significantly because of plants and animals alone.
Climate
The present climate of Murray and Whitfield Counties is thought to be similar to the
climate that existed as the soils formed. The relatively high amount of rainfall and the
warm temperatures contribute to the rapid soil formation and are the two most
important climatic features that relate to soil properties.
Climate affects the formation of soils through its influence on the type and rate of
weathering of rocks, the removal and redeposition of materials, and the decomposition
of minerals and organic matter. It also affects biological activity in the soils and the
leaching and movement of weathered materials.