LOCATION LASERE OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Palexerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lasere loam, on a 6 percent slope in seeded rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; 14 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
A2--3 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)
2Bt1--10 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular structure; very hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; 5 percent fine gravel; many prominent clay films on ped faces; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2Bt2--15 to 23 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common prominent clay films on ped faces; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary (7 to 20 inches thick)
3Cr--23 to 25 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) weathered volcanic tuff. (1 to 4 inches thick)
3R--25 inches; tuff.
TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; NW1/4 SE1/4 SE1/4 SE1/4 of Sec. 10, T. 35 S., R. 19 E.; about 10 miles south of Paisley, Oregon.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are dry in all parts between the depths of 4 and 12 inches about 100 to 115 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 15 inches and may include the upper part of the argillic horizon. Solum thickness and depth to bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. There is typically a 1 to 4 inch weathered zone that meets the requirements for paralithic. The soil is slightly acid or neutral. These soils have an increase of 20 percent or more clay between the A and 2Bt horizons.
The A horizon has value of 3 through 5 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It has 5 to 20 percent gravel and 0 to 25 percent cobbles and stones.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5 moist, 3 to 6 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry. It is typically clay or silty clay, but ranges to silty clay loam in the lower part. It is 35 to 60 percent clay and averages about 50 percent. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments. Clay films are distinct and/or prominent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coleman, Dry Creek, Pomponio, Pritchard, and Tutuilla series. The Coleman, Dry Creek, Pritchard and Tutuilla soils are more than 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lasere soils are on wave cut benches and south slopes below the high water mark of pluvial lakes at elevations of 4,500 to 5,000 feet. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and lake sediments over basalt and tuff. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bullump, Lorella, and Deter soils. The Bullump soils are on adjacent north slopes, are deep to bedrock, have a frigid soil temperature regime, and are loamy-skeletal. Lorella soils are shallow to bedrock and are clayey-skeletal. Deter soils are on lower terraces, are deep to bedrock, and lack a abrupt clay increase.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Basins of southeastern Oregon, MLRA 21. The series is inextensive.
USE AND VEGETATION: Lasere soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. A few areas are irrigated and planted to annual grain. The potential plant community is low sagebrush, Idaho fescue, and bluebunch wheatgrass. In areas with an A horizon 12 or more inches thick, the potential plant community is mountain big sagebrush and Idaho fescue.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Oregon, Southern Part; 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 10 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - 10 to 23 inches (2Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons).
Pale features - abrupt textural change to a fine family; clay in the A horizon is about 25 percent and in the 2Bt1 is about 50 percent with a clear boundary.
Paralithic contact - the boundary at 23 inches.
Lithic contact - the boundary at 25 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data for the Booth series which has closely similar soil development characteristics is used for comparison; sample numbers 79P2288-2292, pedon number S79-OR037-001.