LOCATION PYXO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Pyxo loam on a convex horizontally, linear vertically, 10 percent slope under annual grasses and allscale saltbush. When described on March 29, 1990 the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; moderate coarse and medium angular blocky structure; very friable, slightly hard, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 50 cm (2 to 20 inches) thick)
Bk1--13 to 30 cm (5 to 12 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), moist; weak medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very friable, slightly hard, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; few fine threadlike carbonate masses; violent effervescence; strongly alkaline, pH 8.5; clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--30 to 56 cm (12 to 22 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), moist; weak medium and coarse blocky structure; very friable, slightly hard, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few fine threadlike carbonate; violent effervescence; strongly alkaline, pH 8.5; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk is 15 to 66 cm (6 to 26 inches) thick)
Ck--56 to 76 cm (22 to 30 inches); very pale brown (10YR 8/2) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4), moist; massive; very friable, slightly hard, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; violent effervescence; strongly alkaline, pH 8.5; abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 69 cm (4 to 27 inches) thick)
Crkm--76 to 79 cm (30 to 31 inches); weathered bedrock; massive; cemented by carbonates.
Cr--79 cm (31 inches); weathered bedrock; massive.
TYPE LOCATION: About 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) northwest of Fellows; 35 degrees 15 minutes 15 seconds N latitude and 119 degrees 36 minutes 46 seconds W longitude; about 122 meters (400 feet) north and 610 meters (2000 feet) west of SE corner of Section 4, Township 31 south, Range 22 east, MDB&M West Elk Hills topographic quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to weathered bedrock is 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 inches). The mean annual soil temperature is 17 to 21 degrees C. (62 degrees to 70 degrees F.). and the soil temperature is always above 8 degrees C. (47 degrees F.). The soil between depths of 20 and 60 cm (8 and 24 inches) is dry from April to mid-January and is not continuously moist for as long as 90 consecutive days. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline throughout.
The A horizon has colors of 10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7/2, 7/3 or 7/4. Moist colors are 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/2, 5/3 or 5/4. Texture is usually loam but may also be sandy loam or gravelly loam with 10 to 18 percent clay and 0 to 15 percent gravel. It is non-effervescent to violently effervescent with disseminated carbonates.
The Bk horizons have colors of 10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 or 8/2. Moist colors are 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/2 or 6/. Texture is usually loam but may be gravelly loam with 10 to 18 percent clay and 0 to 20 percent gravel. It is strongly to violently effervescent with carbonates disseminated and/or present as soft threadlike masses.
The C horizon, where present, has colors of 10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7/2, 7/3, 7/4, or 8/2. Moist colors are 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/2 or 6/3. Textures are sandy loam, loam gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loam with 5 to 18 percent clay and 0 to 20 percent gravel. Some pedons have a very gravelly horizon just above the Cr. It is strongly to violently effervescent with carbonates disseminated and/or present as soft threadlike masses.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Agustin, Filaree(T), Guijarral(T), Hayhook, Lostman, Nasagold, Pajarito and Sahuarita soils. All of these soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pyxo soils occur on hills and mountains with elevations of 1000 to 2200 feet. Slopes are 9 to 50 percent. The formed from material weathered from calcareous shale, siltstone or mudstone. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and mild, somewhat moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 127 to 229 mm (5 to 9 inches). Mean annual January temperature is about 7 degrees C. (44 degrees F.), mean July temperature is about 27 degrees C. (81 degrees F.) and mean annual temperature is 16 to 18 degrees C. (60 to 64degrees F.) The frost-free season is 240 to 300 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bitterwater, Cochora and Kimberlina series. Bitterwater soils are deep and Cochora soils are shallow to bedrock. Kimberlina soils are very deep and are on fans and terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, medium to very high runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat and oil wells.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern foothills of the Temblor Range in southern California. These soils are of not extensive. MLRA 15.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California, 2001. Kern County, Southwest Part, Soil Survey Area, California. The name is derived from a petroleum industry name.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon-the zone from 0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 inches).
Cambic horizon-the zone from 13 56 cm( 5 to 22 inches). Meets conditions for cambic due to color and structure.
Paralithic contact-76 cm (30 inches).