LOCATION LIONWOOD           MT 
Established Series
Rev. CRS-GLS-JAL
11/1999

LIONWOOD SERIES


The Lionwood series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash over glaciolacustrine deposits. These soils are on lake plains and terraces in valleys. Slopes are 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 26 inches and mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Vitrandic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Lionwood ashy loam, forested (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter

A--1 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; volcanic ash component; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

E1--6 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; volcanic ash component; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)

E2--18 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 33 inches thick)

Bt and E--27 to 48 inches; Bt part (60 percent) is yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) 1/2 inch to 2 inch thick fine sandy loam lamellae, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; many distinct clay films bridging sand grains; moderately acid (pH 6.0); E part (40 percent) is brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (7 to 22 inches thick)

2Bt--48 to 53 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)

3Bt & E--53 to 60 inches; Bt part (60 percent) is yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) 1 inch to 3 inch thick fine sandy loam lamellae, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; many distinct clay films bridging sand grains; slightly acid (pH 6.2); E part (40 percent) is brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 6.0);

TYPE LOCATION: Sanders County, Montana; 1300 feet south and 2500 feet east of the northwest corner of section 10, T. 22N., R. 30W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature - 44 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to 2Bt horizon - more than 40 inches.

A horizon - Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3, 4, or 5 moist
Clay content: 8 to 15 percent
Bulk density: 1.0 to 1.4 g/cm3
Volcanic glass: 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Reaction: 5.1 to 6.5

E horizons - Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry, 4, 5, or 6 moist
Texture: ashy loam, very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Bulk density: 1.0 to 1.4 g/cm3
Volcanic glass: 0 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Reaction: 5.1 to 6.5

Bt and E horizon - Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Clay content: B part 10 to 18 percent, E part 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: 5.6 to 6.5

2Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR, 5YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry, 4, 5, or 6 moist
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent
Reaction: 5.6 to 7.3

3Bt and E horizon - Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Clay content: B part 10 to 20 percent, E part 8 to 15 percent
Reaction: 5.6 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:

Scotmont (MT) - does not have 2Bt horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - lake plains and terraces in valleys.
Elevation - 2300 to 2800 feet.
Slope - 0 to 35 percent.
Parent material - volcanic ash over glaciolacustrine deposits.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 24 to 28 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 100 to 115 days.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lionwood soils are used mainly for cropland, woodland, understory grazing and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is mainly Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, western larch, lodgepole pine, grand fir, and western white pine. Understory vegetation is mainly brackenfern, pinegrass, common snowberry, oceanspray, and other forbs and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lionwood soils are of small extent in the valleys of northwestern Montana.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanders County, Montana 1997.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT1379. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ash influenced layer 1 to 18 inches (A, E1 horizons); an ochric epipedon from the mineral soil surface to 7 inches mixed (A, E1 horizons); an albic horizon from 6 to 27 inches (E1, E2 horizons); an argillic horizon from 27 to 60 inches (Bt & E, 2Bt, 3Bt & E horizons); lithologic discontinuities at depths of 48 and 53 inches (2Bt, 3Bt and E horizons); a particle size control section from 27 to 47 inches (Bt and E horizon). Lionwood soils have a udic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL S92MT-089-03


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.