LOCATION BUCKLON            CO
Established Series
Rev. GB/JPP/TWH
11/1999

BUCKLON SERIES


The Bucklon series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum derived from dark gray, noncalcareous shale and sandstone. Bucklon soils are on hills, ridges, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 2 to 75 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches and mean annual temperature is about 34 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, shallow Typic Haplocryolls

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

A--0 to 13 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable; 5 percent black parachanners (shale chips) in the lower part; neutral (pH 6.8), gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)

Bw--13 to 18 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; hard, very friable; 10 percent dark gray parachanners (shale chips); neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)

Cr--18 to 22 inches; dark gray noncalcareous shale.

TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; about 18 miles northeast of Gunnison, Colorado; along trail near the center of Sec. 30, T. 14 S., R. 83 W.; Matchless Mountain USGS quad.; Lat. 38 degrees, 48 minutes, 29 seconds north, and Long. 106 degrees, 48 minutes, 19 seconds west. NAD 27

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: udic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 34 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 48 to 52 degrees F.
Depth to paralithic contact: 10 to 20 inches to noncalcareous shale.
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 5 to 15 inches

Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 30 percent fragments that are mostly small parachanners of shale.

A horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry and moist
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Bw horizon: (a C horizon in some pedons)
Hue: 5Y to 10YR
Texture, fine earth fraction: L or CL
Rock fragment content: 0 to 30 percent, mostly parachanners of shale (shale chips)
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral with little or no increase in pH as depth increases.
Some pedons have C horizons that have low value and chroma, but the color of such horizons is lithochromic and lacks enough organic matter to be part of a mollic epipedon. Some pedons do not have Bw horizons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are no competing series in this subgroup at present. The Devoe, Fusulina, and Fusuvar series may be competing when their classification is updated.

Devoe, Fusulina and Fusuvar soils: have calcium carbonates within the control section. Also, Fusulina and Fusuvar have less than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: noncalcareous residuum derived from shale and sandstone.
Landform: hills, ridges, and mountain slopes .
Slopes: 2 to 75 percent
Elevation: 8,000 to 11,000 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 32 to 38 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 20 to 45 inches.
Wettest months: July and August receive slightly more precipitation than other months.
Driest months: May and June receive the least precipitation, however the soils are still moist from snowmelt.
Frost-free period: 40 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mayoworth and Tongue River soils.
Mayoworth and Tounge River soils have argillic horizons and are deeper than 20 inches to bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, woodland, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Native vegetation is mainly scattered spruce, grasses, cinquefoil, lupine, and yarrow.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of central and southwestern Colorado and southern Wyoming. LRR E, MLRA 48A. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Summit County, Colorado, 1974.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 13 inches. (A horizon)
Paralithic feature: shale bedrock at 18 inches.
Particle size control section: The zone from 10 to 18 inches. (Part of the A horizon and the Bw horizon)

Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Classified according to the Eighth Edition, 1998

Activity class is presumed based on general trend of other soils in the area.

ADDITIONAL DATA:


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.