LOCATION MODYON NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Modyon cobbly loam - rangeland. (Colors are dry unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) cobbly loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and non plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
B--3 to 16 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular block structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; 25 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 24 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; 20 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bk2--24 to 28 inches; white (10YR 8/1) very cobbly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; extremely hard, friable, slightly sticky and non plastic; common fine and very fine roots; 20 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); (4 to 20 inches thick)
R--28 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; about 12 miles south of Oldhorse Springs on road to Beaverhead, in SE 1/4, SE 1/4 Sec. 25, T. 65., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soils moisture: Aridic ustic moisture regime
Rock fragments: average 35 to 60 percent.
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture: cobbly sandy loam, cobbly loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Sand content: greater than 40 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent; 5 to 10 percent pebbles, 10 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
B horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: very cobbly clay loam, very cobbly loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent; 10 to 15 percent pebbles, 25 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Calcium carbonate: 15 to 55 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent; 20 to 25 percent pebbles, 15 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Texture: Very cobbly loam, very cobbly sandy clay loam, very cobbly heavy sandy loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
R horizon
Basalt bedrock is 20 to 40 or more inches thick
COMPETING SERIES: The competing series are Ayon (NM), Curabith (CO), Hogadero (NM), Hubert (AZ), Mextank (AZ) and Pena (NM). All these soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Modyon soils are on gently sloping fans. Slopes range from 1 to 9 percent. Elevation is 6,800 to 7,900 feet. Average annual air temperature 47 to 54 degrees F. Average annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. Frost-free season is 115 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Cabezon, Motoqua, Hickman, Thunderbird, and Catron. Cabezon and Motoqua have a lithic contact within 20 inches Thunderbird have argillic horizons. Hickman and Catron lack calcic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as rangeland. Principle native vegetation is blue Grama, western Wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, spike muhly, New Mexico feathergrass and winterfat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Westcentral New Mexico. The series is of small extent. MLRA 35.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catron County, New Mexico, 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 0 to 16 inches (A and B horizons)
Calcic horizon The zone from 16 to 28 inches (Bk horizons)
Lithic contact Basalt at 28 inches (R horizon)
Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.
The name Modyon is coined, alternate names are Kout and Deemod.