LOCATION BEESKOVE           MT 
Established Series
Rev. GLS-JAL
11/1999

BEESKOVE SERIES


The Beeskove series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium derived from argillite, quartzite and limestone. These soils are on mountains and trough walls. Slopes are 4 to 80 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Eutrudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Beeskove gravelly loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

0--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter. (1 to 2 inches thick)

E--2 to 10 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; 25 percent angular pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

E/Bw--10 to 22 inches; E part (75 percent) is pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; B part (25 percent) is pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; texture mixed is very gravelly loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; 40 percent angular pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

Bw--22 to 29 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; common very fine and fine pores; 45 percent angular pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)

Bk1--29 to 49 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; 60 percent angular pebbles and 5 percent angular cobbles; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)

Bk2--49 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 65 percent angular pebbles and 5 percent angular cobbles; disseminated lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Missoula County, Montana; 900 feet west and 900 feet south of the E 1/4 corner of sec. 10, T. 12 N., R. 21 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature - 42 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 20 to 40 inches

E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3

E/Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent-0 to 10 percent cobbles; 35 to 45 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3

Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent-0 to 10 percent cobbles; 35 to 60 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3

Bk horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 75 percent-5 to 10 percent cobbles; 55 to 65 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES:

Mollman (MT) - have less than 60 percent rock fragments in the Bk horizon; have more than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the Bk horizon.

Posen (MI) - have horizons of illuvial organic matter; do not have a mixed E/Bw horizon; do not have a Bk horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - mountains.
Elevation - 3,600 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 4 to 80 percent.
Parent material - colluvium derived from argillite, quartzite and limestone.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs.
Mean annual precipitation - 24 to 35 inches, much of which falls as snow or as spring rain.
Mean annual temperature - 40 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free season - 70 to 90 days.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Beeskove soils are used for timber production and watersheds and as wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Douglas- fir, western larch, ponderosa pine, and lodgepole pine with an understory of twinflower, blue huckleberry, dwarf huckleberry, myrtle pachistima, and common beargrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Beeskove soils are of small extent in western Montana.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Missoula County, Montana, 1985.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT0811. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the mineral soil surface to 7 inches (E horizon); an albic horizon from 2 to 10 inches (E horizon); a cambic horizon from 10 to 29 inches (E/Bw, Bw horizons); accumulation of secondary carbonates from 29 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2 horizons); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches below the mineral soil surface (E/Bw, Bw, Bk1 horizons). Beeskove soils have a udic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.