LOCATION ASPETILL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Aspetill very gravelly sandy loam--forest land. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 10 percent gravel, 2 percent stones, and 2 percent boulders.
A--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine through very coarse roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay bridges between sand grains; 40 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt2--16 to 20 inches; 50 percent brown (10YR 5/3) and 50 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, 50 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) and 50 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine through coarse roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay bridges between sand grains and few distinct clay films on faces of peds; 35 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bt3--20 to 26 inches; 60 percent brown (10YR 5/3) and 40 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, 60 percent brown (10YR 4/3) and 40 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine through coarse roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt4--26 to 42 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, common very fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist, irregular masses of iron accumulation; few faint clay bridges between sand grains; 50 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
Bt5--42 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine, common fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist, irregular masses of iron accumulation; few faint clay bridges between sand grains; 60 percent gravel; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; on the Toiyabe National Forest about 0.4 mile north of the USMC Mountain Warfare School; approximately 1,950 feet south and 1,300 feet east of the northwest corner of section 13, T. 6 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Pickel Meadow 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 38 degrees 22 minutes 06 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 30 minutes 53.4 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from July through early October for 60 to 80 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; Typic xeric moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature - 40 to 47 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 47 to 52 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 24 to 36 inches; includes the Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons.
Depth to base of argillic horizon - 40 to more than 60 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 25 percent; Rock fragments: Averages 60 to 80 percent, mainly cobbles. Lithology of fragments are mixed igneous and metamorphic rocks such as granodiorite, andesite, schist, and gneiss.
A horizon(s) - Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 5 to 8 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 4 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Bt4 and Bt5 horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, very gravelly coarse sandy loam, or extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam.
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as masses of iron accumulation in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Angelwhine, Badwater, Bickmore, Bluebell, Booneville, Buena Vista, Dab, Delhew, Hawkinspeak, Keman, Littlemud (T), Lostcannon, Monibasin, Parkalley (T), Parkay, Redbird, Rutherford, Sweetmount, and Woodhurst series.
Angelwhine soils have mean summer soil temperature of 52 to 59 degrees F. and have mollic epipedons that are 16 to 24 inches thick. Badwater soils have 25 to 35 percent clay and are dominated by boulders in the particle-size control section. Bickmore, Bluebell, Buena Vista, Hawkinspeak, Littlemud, Rutherford, and Woodhurst soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Booneville soils average 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section and have mean annual soil temperature of 36 to 40 degrees F. Dab soils have mollic epipedons that are 16 to 24 inches thick. Delhew soils have less than 18 percent clay and are dominated by fine gravel (2 to 5 mm diameter) in the particle-size control section. Keman soils are dominated by gravel in the particle-size control section and have mean summer soil temperature of 55 to 58 degrees F. Lostcannon soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Monibasin soils have mean summer soil temperature of 52 to 59 degrees F. and are dominated by stones in the particle-size control section. Parkalley soils have the base of the argillic horizon between 28 and 35 inches from the soil surface, average 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, and are dominated by flagstones. Parkay soils average 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have mean summer soil temperature of 52 to 58 degrees F. Redbird soils average 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates within 40 inches of the soil surface. Sweetmount soils are deep to paralithic contacts and have subhorizons of the argillic horizon with 27 to 50 percent clay.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Aspetill soils are on moraines. They typically occur on footslope positions. They formed in till derived from igneous and metamorphic rocks such as granodiorite, andesite, schist, and gneiss. Slopes are 4 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 7,000 to 9,200 feet. The climate is subhumid-continental with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 45 inches, the mean annual temperature is 36 to 45 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 30 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cloudburst, Dunderberg, and Murain soils. Cloudburst soils have umbric epipedons and a frigid temperature regime. Dunderberg soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are influenced by volcanic ash. Murain soils have a frigid temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderate permeability (moderately high or high saturated hydraulic conductivity). Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 2.0 and 3.3 feet (moderately deep or deep free water occurrence classes) during spring months in some years. Cumulative annual duration class is Transitory.
USE AND VEGETATION: Aspetill soils are used for forest land, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly a forest canopy of quaking aspen with an understory of slender wheatgrass, mountain brome, mountain big sagebrush, and snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Range. These soils are not extensive with about 3,400 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 22A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mono County (Toiyabe National Forest Area), California, 2006.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 26 inches (A, Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 5 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4, and Bt5 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 5 to 25 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons and part of the Bt3 horizon).