LOCATION ANTONITO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Antonito loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; common very fine interstitial pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
B21t--3 to 6 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; thin discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
B22t--6 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; thin continuous clay films on faces of peds; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; slightly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
B3ca--12 to 16 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Cca--16 to 25 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) loam, pink (7.5YR 7/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
R--25 inches; basalt, with fractures and cobbles coated with lime.
TYPE LOCATION: Taos County, New Mexico; NE1/4 NE1/4 NE1/4 section 33, T.30N., R.9E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to calcareous material ranges from 13 to 20 inches. Thickness of solum ranges from 12 to 28 inches. Depth to bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is loam, sandy loam or silt loam. Structure is granular or crumb. Consistency is soft or slightly hard.
The B2t horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is clay loam or silty clay loam. Structure is moderate medium subangular blocky or medium prismatic. Consistency is hard or very hard. Reaction ranges from mildly to strongly alkaline.
The Cca horizon has hue of 10YR through 5YR. It is moderately or strongly calcareous and moderately or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alcova (T), Almy, Bluerim (T), Bonfri, Cushool (T), Diamondville, Elk Hollow (T), Fleutsch, Forelle, Rawah, Rock River (T), Satanka (T), Stunner and Wolford (T) series. Alcova and Elk Hollow soils are deep and have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the C horizon. Almy, Fleutsch, Forelle, Rock River, Stunner and Wolford soils lack a lithic contact within depth of 40 inches. Bluerim, Cushool, Diamondville, Rawah and Satanka soils have a paralithic contact. Bonfri soils have hue of 10YR in the B2t horizon and are neutral in the Ap horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Antonito soils are on gently sloping basalt flows. Slopes are 1 to 5 percent. These soils formed in loess and residuum weathered from basalt. The average annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches with peak periods in July, August, and September. The average annual temperature is 42 to 46 degrees F. Elevations range from 6,500 to 8,000 feet. Frost-free season is 90 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Luhan and Travelers soils and the competing Stunner soils. Luhan soils lack a lithic contact within depth of 40 inches. Travelers soils lack an argillic horizon and are less then 20 inches deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and wildlife. Native vegetation is black sage, blue grama and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High intermountain valleys of north-central New Mexico. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Taos Area, New Mexico, 1976.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 3/76.