LOCATION PIDINEEN NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic, shallow Petrocalcic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pideneen stony loam on a 4 percent north facing slope in an area of extensive rangeland at 7,000 feet elevation. When described, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated.)
A11--0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/3) stony loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; loose, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent pebbles; strong effervescence, 4 percent calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
A12--3 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and common medium tubular pores; 3 percent basalt and caliche pebbles; violent effervescence, 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
B2--7 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) light clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many fine and common medium tubular pores; 5 percent basalt and caliche pebbles; violent effervescence; 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
C1ca--13 to 16 inches; brown(10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; 25 percent basalt and caliche pebbles; lower part is fractured caliche fragments with soil in cracks; violent effervescence, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
C2cam--16 inches; white (10YR 8/2) indurated caliche, laminar on the surface and continuous across the profile.
TYPE LOCATION: Mora County, New Mexico; about 12 miles northwest or Wagon Mound along NM120 and 6 miles south in N1/2 section 15, T.21N., R.19E., in the Mora Land Grant.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to petrocalcic horizon ranges from 10 to 20 inches. The soils ar calcareous throughout in most pedons. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 3 to 15 percent throughout the soil material. Rock fragments are basalt on the surface and basalt and caliche in the profile. Soil temperature at 20 inches is less than 54 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Rock fragments range from 1 to 10 percent stones, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 2 to 5 percent pebbles.
The B horizon has hue of 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It commonly is light clay loam, but the range includes loam and silt loam. Rock fragments range from 0 to 3 percent stones, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 2 to 5 percent pebbles.
The C horizon is lacking in some pedons. It is loam or silt loam containing 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 15 to 25 percent pebbles.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Plack series. Plack soils lack basalt pebbles in the profile and have a soil temperature at 20 inches that is greater than 54 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pidineen soils are nearly level to undulating slightly convex upper side slopes and crests in basalt flows. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. The soils formed in alluvial material derived mainly from basalt with eolian modification. Elevation is 6,500 to 7,200 feet. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches. The frost free season is 140 to 155 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Apache, Capulin, Charette, and Tricon soils. Apache soils lack petrocalcic horizons. Ayon, Capulin and Charette soils do not have petrocalcic horizons within depths of 60 inches. Tricon soils have petrocalcic horizons at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of the Pidineen soils are used for rangeland. Vegetation is mainly blue grama, western wheatgrass, sideoats grama, little bluestem, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Pidineen soils are not extensive. They occur only in New Mexico.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mora County, New Mexico, 1981.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to lab sample numbers 79P2029-2033 for characterization analysis.