LOCATION MAIA NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcidic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Maia sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium platy and weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few very fine roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 10 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few thin clay films in pores and bridging sand grains; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 17 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common thin clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
Btk--17 to 23 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; 15 percent gravel; few thin clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate accumulations; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bk1--23 to 31 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate is segregated as common medium irregular soft masses; strongly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
Bk2--31 to 65 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate is segregated as few medium irregular soft masses; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; about 5 miles west of Old Horse Springs; in the NW 1/4 of Sec. 14, T. 4 S., R. 14 W.; 108 degrees, 16 minutes, 34 seconds west longitude; 33 degrees, 57 minutes, 46 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The soil moisture control section is intermittently moist in some part during July through October and is moist in all or some parts December through March. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 49 to 56 degrees F.
Depth to calcic horizon: 15 to 40 inches
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 15 to 40 inches
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Bt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Btk horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Rock fragments: 10 to 30 percent gravel
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
Other feature: In some pedons, the Btk horizon may not be present
Bk horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6, dry or moist
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent gravel
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alire (T) (NM), Banquito (NM), Brumley (CO), Goesling (NM), Nomrah (NM), Pollow (T) (UT), and Todest (NM) series. Alire soils have volcanic glass in the coarse silt and very fine sand fractions. Banquito soils are inactive. Brumley and Goesling soils contain less than 15 percent rock fragments in the calcic horizon. Nomrah soils are deeper than 40 inches to the base of the argillic and calcic horizon includes the Btk and Bk horizons. Pollow soils are moderately deep to conglomerate bedrock. Todest soils are moderately deep to limestone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Maia soils are on terraces, hills and valleys. They formed in alluvium from volcanic rocks and sediments. Slopes range from 1 to 8 percent. Elevation ranges from 6,900 to 7,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F. The average frost-free period is 100 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Adman, Celsosprings, Motoqua, and Smilo series. Celsosprings soils have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have a lithic contact within 40 inches. Adman soils have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have a lithic contact within 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Maia soils are used for livestock grazing. Native vegetation includes western wheatgrass, spike muhly, blue grama, and bottlebrush squirreltail.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Maia soils occur in west central New Mexico. MLRA 35, LRR-D. They are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catron County, New Mexico; 1989
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 5 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 5 to 23 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Btk horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 23 to 31 inches (Bk horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA: A Maia pedon was sampled for characterization by the Lincoln Laboratory, No. S80NM-003-24(1 to 10).
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.
Update and revisions for the competing series section 2/08 DWD
Updated competing series section 8 Dec 2008 CEM