LOCATION BERINO NM+TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Berino loamy fine sand - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, very fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 14 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; hard, very friable, few very fine roots; faint reddish coatings on sand grains with some bridging of clay between the grains; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--8 to 25 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; very hard, friable; slightly sticky; many fine and very fine pores; many very fine roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds and sand grains, and with many clay bridges between sand grains; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (12 to 20 inches thick)
Btk--25 to 35 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky; many very fine pores; many very fine roots; few faint clay films of peds; sand grains, coated with clay, and many clay bridges between sand grains; slightly effervescent; carbonates segregated as few fine soft masses and as thin filaments or threads; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bk--35 to 60 inches; pink (5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; very weak coarse subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, friable, slightly sticky; few very fine pores; few very fine roots in upper part; strongly effervescent with carbonates disseminated throughout and also segregated in medium and large soft masses, concretions and as filaments; below the upper 1 to 2 feet the carbonates decrease in amount with increasing depth; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Dona Ana County, New Mexico; west side of SE 1/4, SE 1/4 Sec. 16, T. 20 S., R. 2 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: These soils are usually dry in the 7 to 20 inch control section more than three-fourths of the time the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F., but are moist intermittently during the 120 days following the summer solstice. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 59 to 72 degrees F.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: ranges from 24 to 54 inches
Depth to calcic horizon: greater than 20 inches
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent throughout the control section
A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam (greater than 40 percent sand)
Clay content: averages more than 18 percent clay
Effervescence: slightly effervescent in some pedons
Bk horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: greater than 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blackmagic (CA), Brenda (NM), Cornville (AZ), Dona Ana (NM), Elizario (NM), Hap (NM), Jagerson (AZ), Kidwell (NV), Lanip (NV), Madurez (NM), McNew (NM), Mohave (AZ), Poachie (AZ), and Tres Hermanos (NM) series. Blackmagic, Jagerson, Kidwell, Lanip and Poachies soils are moist for less than 20 days cumulative in the summer. Elizario soils are inactive. Dona Ana and McNew soils have calcic horizona at depths less than 20 inches. Brenda soils have yellower hues of 7.5YR and 10YR in the argillic. Hap and Tres Hermanos soils contain more than 15 percent rock fragments. Madurez soils are noneffervescent in the argillic. Mohave soils contain less than 50 percent sand. Cornville soils contain less than 45 percent sand, no rock fragments, and no secondary accumulations of calcium carbonate in the argillic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Berino soils are in nearly level to undulating sandy plains, fan terraces, piedmont slopes, and valley floors at elevations of 4,000 to 5,500 feet. The parent material is alluvium derived from mixed sources. The content of quartz and other forms of Si02 is relatively high, it constitutes less than 90 percent of the soil material. Berino landscapes are often irregular and coppice mounds are common. The climate is arid continental. The mean annual air temperature is 58 to 65 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 7 to 13 inches with a marked summer maximum. The frost-free period is 180 to 220 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Dona Ana soils and the Cacique, Kermit, Maljamar, Pajarito, Pintura and Turney soils. Cacique soils have petrocalcic horizons at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Maljamar soils have textures of loamy fine sand or coarser in the 20-to 40-inch zone. Turney, Pajarito, Pintura and Kermit soils lack argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Major use is livestock grazing. Native vegetation is black grama, blue grama, sideoats grama, mesa dropseed, threeawn, buffalo grass, sand muhly, sand sage, yucca, snakeweed, and mesquite.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Throughout southern New Mexico and southwest Texas. The series is extensive. MLRA is 42.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Dona Ana County, New Mexico; Reconnaissance Survey of Lower Rio Grande Watershed, 1942.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 4 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 4 to 35 inches (Bt and Btk horizon)
Calcic horizon: The zone from 35 to 60 inches (Bk horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition 2006
ADDITIONAL DATA: Lincoln Laboratory, 69L(253-264) National Soil Survey pedon number is S68NM-013-009, 67L(13198-13204), NSSL pedon number S60NM-013-013.