LOCATION PINO NM+UT COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pino loam - forest. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed and partially decomposed organic material made up of grass, leaves, bark, and twigs. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A--2 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine crumbs; soft, very friable; many very fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 18 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium angular and subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky; common very fine and fine roots; few thin clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--18 to 27 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate and strong medium angular blocks; very hard, friable, very sticky, very plastic; common fine and medium roots; many thin clay films on the surfaces of peds; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Bt3--27 to 34 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) clay, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to weak medium and fine subangular blocks; extremely hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common thin clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
C--34 to 41 inches; variegated colors ranging from pale yellow (5Y 7/3) to olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) clay; pale olive (5Y 6/3) to light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) moist; massive; extremely hard, firm, sticky, plastic; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
R--41 inches; interbedded shale and limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Torrance County, New Mexico; SE1/4SE1/4 sec. 35, T.7N., R.5E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface)
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 inches.
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
Soil Temperature: 40 to 47 degrees F.
Rock Fragments: 0 to 15 percent in the Bt and C horizons.
Soil moisture: Typic aridic moisture regime.
A horizon
Hue; 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR through 2.5Y
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam or silty clay
C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR through 5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: clay loam or clay
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alder (MT), Bacbuster (MT), Bigbear (MT), Billman (MT), Charo (NM), Darret (MT), Durston (MT), Microy (NM), Mishakal (MT), Roaringlion (MT) and Wilcoxson (NM) series. Alder, Billman, and Mishakal soils have a paralithic contact. Bacbuster, Bigbear, and Durston soils have accumulations of secondary carbonates. Wilcoxson soils lack lithic contacts at depths less than 40 inches. Charo and Darret soils have hues redder than 7.5YR. In addition, Darret soils have lime accumulations in the B horizon. Microy soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments. Bigbear, Durstan and Roaringlion soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pino soils are on ridges and sideslopes of ridges that are underlain by limestone and sandstone and shale. Elevations range from 7,000 to 8,500 feet. Slope gradients of 2 through 55 percent are common to these soils. The climate is semiarid continental. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 20 inches. The average annual temperature is 42 degrees F., and the average annual summer temperature is 65 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pinon and Turkeysprings soils and the competing Wilcoxson soils. Pinon soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section. Turkeysprings soils do not have a lithic contact within 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forestry, range, and recreation. Native vegetation is principally pine and some fir with a thin understory of grasses and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The series has moderate extent in the mountainous areas of central New Mexico and south central Colorado. MLRAs 39 & 48A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albuquerque Area, New Mexico, 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 2 to 12 inches. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 12 to 34 inches. (Bt horizon)
Lithic contact: Sedimentary rock at 41 inches.
The Bt horizon has a higher content of carbonates than the Ap horizon, but this is a result of deposition not illuviation.
Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.