LOCATION ORYX NM,TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, thermic Ustic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Oryx loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; common fine to coarse roots in mat at top of horizon; fine low continuity vesicular pores; 11.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly effervescent (HCl, 3 normal); moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
2C1--4 to 37 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) extremely gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine granular structure; common fine roots throughout; 14.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent (<2mm fraction); 70 percent subrounded limestone gravel; strongly effervescent (HCl, 3 normal); moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (12 to 60 inches thick)
3C2--37 to 55 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium angular blocky structure; common fine and medium roots throughout; common fine low continuity vesicular pores; 11.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent (HCl, 3 normal); moderately alkaline; diffuse smooth boundary.
3C3--55 to 80 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium angular blocky structure; common very fine roots throughout; common fine low continuity vesicular pores; 13.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent (HCl, 3 normal); moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Otero County, New Mexico; approximately 23.6 miles east and 4.3 miles north of Oro Grande; SW 1/4, SE 1/4 section 26, T. 21 S. , R. 12 E. ; USGS El Paso Draw, NM topographic quadrangle; latitude 32 degrees 26 minutes 42 seconds north and longitude 105 degrees 41 minutes 17 seconds west. UTM zone 13, 435289E, 3589784N; NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: the moisture control section is usually dry in all parts less than three-fourths of the time that the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 59 to 62 degrees F.
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 60 percent (less than 20 mm fraction)
Rock fragments: 65 to 85 percent of pebble size limestone fragments in the 2C horizon
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 or 5, dry or moist
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 or 5, dry or moist
Texture: extremely gravelly loam, extremely gravelly clay loam, or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam
3C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: These are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Oryx soils formed in alluvium from limestone on nearly level to gently sloping inset fans of fan piedmonts. Slope ranges from 1 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 14 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 58 to 61 degrees F. Frost-free days range from 140 to 180 and elevation ranges from 4,700 to 6,000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Armesa, Jerag, Philder, Reyab, and Salado soils. The Armesa, Jerag, Reyab, and Salado soils do not have a skeletal control section. In addition, Jerag soils have petrocalcic horizons within 20 inches of the surface. Philder soils have petrocalcic horizons within 20 inches of the surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately slow . Runoff is very low.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing. Vegetation is mixed prairie consisting of blue grama, black grama, tobosa, sand dropseed, burrograss, creosotebush, mariola, desert holy, and silverleaf nightshade.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern New Mexico in MLRA 42. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Otero County, New Mexico; 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 40 inches. (2C1 and 2C2 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 4 inches. (A horizon)
Fluvial feature - Irregular decrease in organic carbon in the zone from 10 to 60 inches (C1, C2, C3 horizons)