LOCATION ASABEAN CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Asabean gravelly loam - on a northeast facing convex slope of 50 percent under Douglas-fir and madrone at 3,520 feet elevation (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described August 18, 1982, the soil was dry throughout.)
0--2 inches to 0; leaves, needles and twigs in all stages of decomposition. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, non-sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and few medium tubular pores; 25 percent pebbles (2 to 5mm); neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
BAt--9 to 19 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine, fine and medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and few medium tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores; 55 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
Bt--19 to 37 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and coarse roots; many fine and medium interstitial and few coarse tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 60 percent pebbles (4 to 75mm); moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (14 to 22 inches thick)
BCt--37 to 64 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium and common coarse roots; many fine and medium interstitial and few coarse tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds, common thick clay films in pores; 35 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles (75 to 150mm); strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Mendocino County, California; about 4 miles west of Covelo on Poonkinny Ridge; 1350 feet south and 1250 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 5, T.22N, R.13W., MDBM, Covelo West, 7 1/2 minute Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F. The soil between a depth of 8 to 22 inches is dry in all parts from June to October and is moist in all parts from December to May. The particle-size control section averages 20 to 30 percent clay and 35 to 65 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has a dry color of 10YR 4/3, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/3; or 7.5YR 7/6 and moist color of 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 4/3; 7.5YR 3/2, 3/3, or 4/4. The texture is mainly gravelly loam and commonly contains 15 to 25 percent clay, 15 to 35 percent pebbles, and 0 to 5 percent cobbles by volume. It is slightly acid or neutral. Base saturation ranges from 50 to 80 percent.
The Bt horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/4, 7/3, 7/4; 7.5YR 6/4, 6/6, 7/3, 7/4 or 7/6 and moist color of 10YR 4/3, 4/4, 5/4; 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, or 4/6. The texture is typically very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly sandy clay loam and less commonly very gravelly loam or very gravelly sandy loam with 18 to 35 percent clay, 30 to 55 percent pebbles, and 5 to 15 percent cobbles. Total rock fragment content ranges from 35 to 65 percent. Base saturation ranges from 35 to 60 percent. It is medium acid or strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abegg, Behemotosh (T), Callayomi, Holohan, Hollowtree (T), Marpa, Skalan and Whispering (T) series. The Abegg soils are dry for only 60 to 90 consecutive days in the summer. Callayomi soils have Bt horizons which are neutral or slightly acid. In addition Calla-yomi soils are influenced by amorphors material. Behemotosh, Hollowtree, Marpa, Skalan and Whispering (T) series are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic or paralithic contact. Holohan soil are moist in all parts for more than 180 consecutive days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Asabean soils are on mountains and have slopes of 15 to 75 percent. The soil formed in material weathered from sandstone or metasedimentary rock. Elevations are 2,500 to 4,200 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 50 to 65 inches. Seasonal snowfall is 0 to 4 inches. Mean January temperature is about 40 degrees F., mean July temperature is about 70 degrees F. Frost-free season is 125 to 175 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Neuns, Sanhedrin and Speaker soils. Neuns and Speaker soils are less than 40 inches deep. Sanhedrin soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for timber production, recreation, watershed and wildlife habitat. Natural vegetation is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, California black oak, and pacific madrone.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coast range of Northern California. MLRA 5. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mendocino County, eastern part, California, 1985. Source of name is prominent ridge in northern Mendocino County, Bluenose Ridge Quadrangle.
REMARKS: The activity class was added to the classification in January of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
Additional Data: NSSL data (sample number 81CA 145-18) is available.