LOCATION DIXALETA AZ+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic, shallow Typic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Dixaleta extremely channery sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 1 inch; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely channery sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 70 percent channers; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bw--1 to 8 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely channery sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 80 percent channers; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
2Cr--8 to 27 inches; highly fractured and partially weathered schist; variegated; very few fine roots; many calcium carbonate coatings in joints. (17 to 49 inches thick)
2R--27 inches; schist; common thin coatings of calcium carbonate in joints.
TYPE LOCATION: Maricopa County, Arizona; 650 feet south and 400 feet west of the northeast corner of section 14, T. 6 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during December-February and for more than 20 days cumulative during July-September. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Rock fragments: 40 to 80 percent channers throughout
Depth to paralithic contact: 3 to 10 inches
Depth to lithic contact: 20 to 60 inches
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6 dry, 2, 3, or 4 moist
Organic matter: Less than 1 percent
Reaction: Mildly or moderately alkaline
Calcium Carbonate: Noneffervescent to violently effervescent
B horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam, clay loam (12 to 30 percent clay)
Reaction: Moderately or strongly alkaline
Calcium Carbonate: Strongly or violently effervescent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Antares (AZ), Lavabed (CA), Seanna (NV), Shankba (NV), and Xyzoic (CA) series. Antares, Lavabed, Seanna, Shankba, and Xyzoic soils are in the Mohave Desert (MLRA 30), receive mostly winter precipitation and are usually dry from April through November.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dixaleta soils are on hills and mountains and have slopes of 5 to 70 percent. They formed in alluvium and colluvium from schist. Elevation is 1,800 to 3,800 feet. Mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches occurring as summer thunderstorms and gentle winter rain. Mean annual air temperature is 66 to 70 degrees F. Frost-free period is about 220 to 270 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anthony, Arizo, Eba, Pinaleno and Vado soils. Anthony, Arizo and Vado soils are very deep and coarse-loamy, sandy-skeletal and loamy-skeletal respectively. Eba and Pinaleno soils are very deep and have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing. Vegetation is brittlebush, creosotebush, staghorn cholla, ironwood, ocotillo, saguaro, paloverde, barrel cactus, jojoba, triangle bursage, prickly pear and annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona. This soil occurs in LRR-D, MLRA 40. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Maricopa County, Arizona; 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 1 inch (A horizon)
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 8 inches (2Cr horizon)
Lithic contact - The boundary at 27 inches (2R horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.