LOCATION ARUJO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Arujo sandy loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A11--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular and moderate very thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; few very fine tubular and common fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A12--3 to 23 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular and common fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 20 inches thick)
B1t--23 to 35 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) light clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few fine and medium tubular and common fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)
B2t--35 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10R 3/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; few moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
B3t--45 to 55 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and medium roots; few very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films bridging mineral grains; slightly acid (pH 6.50; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Cr--55 to 65 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) highly weathered metamorphosed sedimentary rock, crushing to sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; slightly acid (pH 6.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; about 35 miles southeast of Bakersfield in the Tehachapi mountains; about 2,000 feet south and 700 feet west of NE corner of section 22, T. 11 N., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a paralithic contact is 40 to 60 inches. The soil between depths of 5 an 18 inches becomes moist about the end of October or early November and remains moist until late April or early May. Mean annual soil temperature is 59 to 67 degrees F. The difference between the average summer and winter soil temperature is 28 to 36 degrees F. The solum contains up to 10 percent 2mm to 7cm angular fragments. Reaction ranges from medium acid through mildly alkaline throughout the soil profile. Organic matter is more than 1.2 percent to a depth of 20 inches or more.
The A1 horizon is very dark gray, dark gray, very dark grayish brown, dark grayish brown or grayish brown (10YR 3/1, 4/1, 3/2, 4/2, 5/2) or dark brown or brown (7.5YR 3/2, 4/2). It is sandy loam, loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam. A transitional A3 horizon or B1 horizon is usually present.
The B2t horizon is very dark grayish brown, dark grayish brown, grayish brown, dark brown, brown, dark yellowish brown or yellowish brown (10YR 3/2, 4/2, 5/2, 3/3, 4/3, 5/3, 4/4, 5/4) or are dark brown or brown (7.5YR 3/2, 4/2, 5/2, 4/4, 5/4). It is heavy loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam and has about 5 to 11 percent more clay (absolute) than the A horizon.
In some pedons a yellowish brown (10YR 5/4, 5/6) C horizon occurs directly above the paralithic contact. It is sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Botella, Elkhorn, Lockwood and McCoy series. Botella, Elkhorn, and Lockwood soils have less than 20 degrees F difference between mean summer and winter soil temperatures. McCoy soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 24 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Arujo soils are on uplands with slopes of 9 to 75 percent. They formed from metamorphic and igneous (primarily granitic) rocks. Elevations are 1,000 to 5,800 feet. The climate is subhumid mesothermal having warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 10 to 20 inches, some in the form of snow. Average January temperature is about 39 degrees F, average July temperature is about 72 degrees F, mean annual temperature is 57 to 65 degrees F. Frost-free season is 150 to 225 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing McCoy soils and the Sheridan and Soper soils. Sheridan soils lack an argillic horizon. Soper soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of 24 to 40 inches and have a mollic epipedon less than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Used mainly for range. Vegetation is annual grasses, blue oak, white oak, and scrub oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada foothills, sierra Nevada mountains and Coast Range. Series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, California, 1976.
REMARKS:
Last revised by the state on 12/76.