LOCATION BARBARELA               MT

Established Series
Rev. GAR-KTS-RJS
03/2011

BARBARELA SERIES

The Barbarela series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from gneiss, schist, or granite. These soils are on hills and mountains. Slopes are 2 to 45 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 21 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 36 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Barbarela coarse sandy loam, in rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

AB--11 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

Bt--15 to 37 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)

Cr--37 to 52 inches; highly weathered, decomposed gneiss bedrock that crushes to a very gravelly coarse sand.

R--52 to 60 inches; gneiss bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Gallatin County, Montana; 1100 feet south and 2300 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T.3S., R.3E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 35 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 52 to 58 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 8 to 16 inches
Depth to top of argillic horizon - 6 to 16 inches
Depth to paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to lithic contact - 40 to 60 inches

A horizon
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3; dry or moist
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

AB horizon
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: coarse sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

Bt horizon
Value: 3 to 5 moist; 4 to 6 dry
Chroma: 3 to 6; dry or moist
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Amsden (WY) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Cific (WY) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Coldspring (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact; has a BCt horizon; formed in residuum from sandstone
Croftshaw (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches
Dewville (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Gelkie (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Highrye (MT) does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches
Hooligan (MT) does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches
Inchau (WY) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches
Kezar (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; formed in material weathered from granite
Leavitt (WY) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Lucky (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact
Lymanson (WY) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches
Miracle (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches
Monaberg (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; formed in alluvium and alpine till
Passcreek (WY) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Rainbolt (WY) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation
Tripit (WY) - is calcareous at depths of 6 to 20 inches
Wellsville (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches
Woosley (WY) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation
Youga (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches
Zade (MT) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills and mountains
Elevation - 5,900 to 8,400 feet
Slope - 2 to 45 percent
Parent material - colluvium and residuum derived from gneiss, schist or granite
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 24 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 39 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bavdark and Poin series. Bavdark soils are very deep and are pachic. They are on more concave positions. The Poin soils are shallow to a lithic contact and are loamy-skeletal. They are on more convex positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Barbarela soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation includes Idaho fescue, Richardson needlegrass, Columbia needlegrass, mountain brome, lupine, and sticky geranium as well as other forbs, grasses and woody shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Barbarela soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA 43B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 15 inches (A and AB horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 15 to 37 inches (Bt horizon)
Paralithic contact - from 37 to 52 inches (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact - at 52 inches (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 15 to 35 inches (Bt horizon)

Barbarela soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.


Additional Data: Soil interpretation record: MT1549.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.