LOCATION ABERSITO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, active, frigid Typic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Abersito very cobbly sandy clay loam--woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; Pine needles and oak leaves.
A--2 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) very cobbly sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common fine and very fine irregular pores; 40 percent cobbles, 10 percent pebbles and 5 percent stones; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
E--5 to 11 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) very cobbly fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent cobbles and 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--11 to 26 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very cobbly clay; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent cobbles and 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (14 to 24 inches thick)
2R--26 inches; sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Cibola County, New Mexico; about one-half mile southwest of Lookout Mountain; 1,100 feet east and 2,300 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 2, T. 11 N., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 inches
Rock fragments in the particle-size control section: 35 to 60 percent by volume with 30 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones and 5 to 15 percent pebbles.
Soil moisture: Intermittently moist in the soil moisture control section in some part during July-September and December-March. Driest during May and June. Typic ustic moisture regime
A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: very cobbly sandy clay loam or gravelly loam.
E horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 4 or 6
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Abersito soils are on hills and mesas. Slopes are 5 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 8,300 to 8,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 24 inches and the mean annual temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free period is 85 to 105 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cinnadale, Mirabal and Moreno soils. Cinnadale and Mirabal soils lack argillic horizons. Moreno soils are deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for wood products, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Present native vegetation is ponderosa pine, Gambel oak and Arizona fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The series is of small extent in west central New Mexico. MLRA is 39.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cibola County, New Mexico, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 11 inches. (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 11 inches to a depth of 26 inches. (Bt horizon)
Lithic contact - Sandstone occurs at about 26 inches.