LOCATION GAIB ID+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Gaib very gravelly loam -- on a slightly convex west-facing slope of 42 percent in rangeland. When described on August 5, 1975, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 35 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--9 to 13 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) extremely stony clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 20 percent gravel, 50 percent cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (combined Bt horizon 7 to 17 inches thick)
R--13 inches; fractured welded rhyolitic tuff.
TYPE LOCATION: Camas County, Idaho; about 7 miles south and 2 miles east of Fairfield; 1,600 feet west and 1,800 feet south of the northeast corner of section 23, T.2 S., R.14 E.; USGS Fir Grove Mountain Quadrangle; (Latitude - 43 degrees, 14 minutes, 12 seconds N. and Longitude - 114 degrees, 45 minutes, 17 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 12 inches
Depth to bedrock - 10 to 20 inches
Reaction - moderately acid through neutral
Base saturation - 50 to 75 percent
Moisture control section - dry 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Mean annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Bt horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - L, CL or SCL
Clay content - 24 to 35 percent
Rock fragments - 35 to 70 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series recognized in this family. Gabica and Hoff (T) soils are closely related. Gabica soils have base saturation greater than 75 percent in all layers. Hoff soils have ashy textures and are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days..
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gaib soils are on summits and slopes of hills and mountains at elevations of 4,500 to 8,200 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 80 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from andesite, basalt, rhyolite, or welded rhyolitic tuff. The average annual precipitation is 12 to 20 inches, most of which falls as snow and spring rain. The average annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Elkcreek, Harahill and Winu soils. Elkcreek, Harahill and Winu soils are 20 to 40 inches deep. They occur on similar landscape positions as the Gaib soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Gaib soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The dominant natural vegetation is mountain big sagebrush or low sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and in places, curlleaf mountain mahogany and mountain snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central and southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. MLRA 10 and 25. Gaib soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Camas County, Idaho, 1977.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - zone from the soil surface to 9 inches (A and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - zone from 4 to 13 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact - at 13 inches (R)
Particle-size control section - zone from 0 to 13 inches
Soil moisture regime - xeric