LOCATION MITOTES COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive Ustic Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Mitotes sandy loam, on a southeast facing, convex, 33 percent slope in mixed conifers at an elevation of 10,200 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on June 6, 1986 the soil was moist from 0 to 60 inches. The surface is covered by 1 percent stones.
Oe--0 to 1 inches; moderately decomposed organic litter.
E--1 to 15 inches; pinkish gray (5YR 6/2) sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, medium and few coarse roots; 10 percent gravel, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
E/B--15 to 21 inches; 65 percent pinkish gray (5YR 6/2) cobbly sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist, and 35 percent light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) cobbly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, medium and coarse roots; 10 percent gravel, 7 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--21 to 32 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) cobbly sandy clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common patchy clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--32 to 51 inches; weak red (2.5YR 5/2) cobbly clay loam, weak red (2.5YR 4/2) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common patchy clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, 10 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 25 to 34 inches)
2C--51 to 72 inches; weak red (2.5YR 5/2) stony sandy loam, weak red (2.5YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 5.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Las Animas County, Colorado; about 9 miles east of Cucharas Pass on Cordova Pass road; located about 2,200 feet west and 550 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 21, T. 31 S., R. 68 W.; Herlick Canyon USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 104 degrees 59 minutes 57 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths are from the mineral soil surface)
Soil moisture: Moist continuously from April through September, driest December through February; Udic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 35 to 40 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 45 to 48 degrees F
Thickness of the albic horizon: 10 to 15 inches
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 40 to 57 inches
Thickness of the glossic horizon: 5 to 8 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 40 to 57 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Sand content: 35 to 55 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent gravel and cobbles
E horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid
E/B horizon:
Same properties as overlying E and and underlying Bt horizons.
Bt horizons:
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sandy clay, clay loam, clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, dominantly cobbles
Base saturation: 60 to 100 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or slightly acid
2C horizon:
Hue: 10R to 5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: cobbly sandy loam, stony sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Danaher(MT) series.
Danaher soils: lack a lithologic discontinuity (2C horizons)
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium and colluvium derived from mixed sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
Landform: mountain slopes
Slopes: 10 to 40 percent
Elevation: 8,500 to 10,500 feet
Mean annual temperature: 38 to 40 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 20 to 26 inches
Precipitation pattern: moist continuously
Wettest period: April through August
Driest period: December through February
Frost-free period: 40 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Howlett, Leadville, and Nopurg series. The Howlett soils average less than 35 percent clay. The Leadville and Nopurg soils average more than 35 percent rock fragments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, rapid runoff, slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mixed stands of Rocky Mountain Douglas fir, white fir, Engelmann's spruce with an understory of common juniper, kinninnick, Arizona fescue, Thurber's fescue, Parry's oatgrass, and mountain muhly.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Las Animas County, Colorado, 2007, Las Animas Area soil survey area, Colorado. The name is from a canyon in the area.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 21 to 41 inches. (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons)
Albic horizon: The zone from 1 to 15 inches. (E horizon)
Glossic horizon: The zone from 15 to 21 inches. (E/B horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 21 at 51 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: At the upper boundary of the 2C horizon.
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Tenth Edition, 2006