LOCATION MARMOT CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

MARMOT SERIES

The Marmot series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and till over residuum derived from metamorphic rock. The Marmot soils are on structural benches of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 865 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Marmot very gravelly sandy loam on a south-facing (175 degree), 45 percent slope under a canopy of Jeffrey pine and Sierra juniper at an elevation of 2368 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on July 11, 2014 the soil was dry to 17 cm and moist to 65 cm.)

Oi--0 to 3 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) slightly decomposed plant material, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; about 100 percent fiber, 90 percent rubbed; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 cm thick)

A1--3 to 7 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; 65 percent sand; 8 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky, and weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent subangular indurated schist channers, 20 percent subangular indurated schist gravel, 5 percent subangular indurated schist flagstones, 5 percent subangular indurated schist stones; NaF pH 8.0; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--7 to 17 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very stony fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 58 percent sand; 10 percent clay; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout, and common very fine, fine, and medium roots around fragments; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 20 percent subangular indurated schist gravel, 5 percent subangular indurated schist cobbles, 5 percent subangular indurated schist flagstones, 25 percent subangular indurated schist stones; NaF pH 8.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 5 to 25 cm)

Bw--17 to 65 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely cobbly fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 55 percent sand; 12 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent subangular indurated schist gravel, 35 percent subangular indurated schist cobbles, 2 percent subangular indurated schist stones; NaF pH 9.0; moderately acid (pH 5.8); very abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

R--65 to 200 cm; Indurated biotite schist bedrock, fractured at intervals of 45 to <100 cm; common fine, medium, and coarse roots top of horizon.

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, about 0.5 km ENE of the Mineral King ranger station; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Mineral King, California; WGS84 36.454661 latitude and -118.606933 longitude; UTM zone 11 4035578 meters N 356002 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 4 to 9 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a frigid temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about July to October (about 120 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 18 to 75 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 50 to 100 cm

Organic matter: 1 to 5 percent

Reaction: strongly to moderately acid

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 100 cm or to a lithic contact

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75cm from the mineral soil surface

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, with 0 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 60 percent stones, 0 to 35 percent channers, and 0 to 35 percent flagstones
Clay content: 3 to 12 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0

A horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 4 dry, 2 to 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 3 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 25 percent stones
0 to 35 percent channers
0 to 10 percent flagstones

Bw horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 60 percent stones
0 to 35 percent channers
0 to 35 percent flagstones

C horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 2 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 80 percent
0 to 60 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 60 percent stones
0 to 35 percent channers
0 to 35 percent flagstones

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bindle (MLRA 6) and the Mineralking soils. Bindle soils have mafic volcanic bedrock between 50 and 100 cm, and are dry for less than 80 days. Mineralking soils do not have a lithic contact within 150 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Marmot soils are on convex backslopes of structural benches on glacial-valley walls. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and till over residuum derived from metasedimentary and metavolcanic rock. Elevation is 1825 to 3175 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 730 to 1180 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 2 to 9 degrees C. The frost free season is 65 to 150 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Mineralking soils. The Mineralking soils are on linear backslopes of mountain slopes and do not have a lithic contact within 150 cm.

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 Sierra juniper, Jeffrey pine, greenleaf manzanita, mountain big sagebrush, oceanspray, and threadleaf sedge.

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. The name is coined.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 27 to 65 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 3 to 65 cm
Lithic Contact 65 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2014CA7921025

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.