LOCATION LADYBUG CA
Tentative Series
JBB/CES/JTW
09/2021
LADYBUG SERIES
The Ladybug series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from metasedimentary rock. The Ladybug soils are on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 895 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ladybug loam on a northwest-facing (305 degree), 55 percent slope under mixed oak woodland at an elevation of 1063 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on June 5, 2014 the soil was dry throughout.)
Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 cm thick)
A--2 to 20 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; 14 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary gravel; NaF pH 8.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 cm thick)
BA--20 to 38 cm; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; 25 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular and common fine tubular pores; 5 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary gravel; NaF pH 8.5; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 35 cm thick)
Bt1--38 to 84 cm; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; 30 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular and common fine tubular pores; 5 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 10 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary gravel, 1 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary cobbles; NaF pH 8.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick)
Bt2--84 to 114 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; 32 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 20 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary gravel, 5 percent subangular strongly cemented metasedimentary cobbles; NaF pH 8.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (30 to 70 cm thick)
R--114 cm; strongly cemented metasedimentary rock.
TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, near South Fork campground in Sequoia National Park; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Dennison Peak, California; WGS84 36.352550 latitude and -118.771947 longitude; UTM zone 11 4024511 meters N 341005 meters E NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 11 to 15 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.
Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about June to October (about 140 days).
Diagnostic Feature(s):
Mollic epipedon thickness: 30 to 50 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 70 to 100 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 100 to 150 cm
Organic matter: 1 to 5 percent in the epipedon, less than 0.6 percent below 50 cm.
Base saturation: greater than 50 percent in the epipedon (by ammonium acetate) and 35 to 75 percent in one or more horizons between 25 and 75 cm from the mineral soil surface (by sum of cations).
Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent, with 0 to 35 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 10.0
A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 15 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
BA horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 25 percent
0 to 15 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: clay loam, loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent
0 to 20 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
Lower Bt horizons (Bt2, Bt3 where present)
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 60 percent
0 to 60 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ladybug soils are on convex shoulders and backslopes of mountain slopes. Slopes range from 30 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from metasedimentary rock. Elevation is 755 to 1930 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 730 to 1030 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 10 to 15 degrees C. The frost free season is 160 to 245 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Colonymill,
Kaweah, and
Whiskeylog soils. The Colonymill soils are on broadly convex backslopes of mountain slopes and do not have a lithic contact within 150 cm. The Kaweah soils are on concave to linear backslopes or drainages on mountain slopes and have greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. The Whiskeylog soils are on convex to linear backslopes of mountain slopes and lack a mollic epipedon (dark surface).
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is canyon live oak, black oak, alderleaf mountain mahogany, California buckeye, and poison oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from the Ladybug trail and historic camp on the South Fork of the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 38 to 88 cm.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic Epipedon 2 to 38 cm
Argillic Horizon 20 to 114 cm
Lithic Contact 114 cm
ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2014CA7925042
Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.