LOCATION RANGERTAFT              NV

Established Series
CWL/PWB/JBF
11/2016

RANGERTAFT SERIES

The Rangertaft series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from quartzite. The Rangertaft soils are on mountain backslopes. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 570 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Rangertaft gravelly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with approximately 2 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones. Lithology of the fragments is quartzite.

Oi--0 to 5 cm; partially decomposed curlleaf mountainmahogany leaves, seeds, and twigs; neutral (pH 6.8). (2 to 6 cm thick).

Oe--5 to 10 cm; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) highly decomposed curlleaf mountainmahogany leaves and twigs, black (10YR 2/1); neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

A1--10 to 23 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 16 cm thick)

A2--23 to 38 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

Bt1--38 to 48 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine, fine, and medium, and few coarse interstitial and tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 30 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 14 cm thick)

Bt2--48 to 61 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and coarse, and common fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine, and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many faint and few distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 30 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm thick)

Bt3--61 to 74 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent gravel and 24 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

R--74 cm; indurated quartzite.

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; about 0.5 miles north of the North Fork of McCoy Creek on the ridge southwest of Gorden Creek; section 32, T. 18N., R. 66E.; USGS North Schell Peak 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 22 minutes 43.1 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 34 minutes 16.6 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.3786389 latitude, -114.5712778 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, dry in all parts at least 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice (July and August); Xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 40 to 50 cm and typically includes the Bt1 horizon.
Argillic horizon thickness: 25 to 50 cm.
Depth to lithic contact: 50 to 100 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 27 to 35 percent.
Rock fragment content: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel and cobbles. Lithology of fragments is quartzite.

O horizons
Texture: Partially to highly decomposed forbs and curlleaf mountainmahogany leaves, seeds, and twigs.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter: 2 to 4 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, subhorizons may contain up to 65 percent rock fragments.
Texture modifiers: Very gravelly, very cobbly, or extremely cobbly.
Reaction: Moderately acid or slightly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Angelwhine, Aspetill, Badwater, Bickmore, Bluebell, Booneville, Buena Vista, Dab, Dailybasin, Delhew, Hawkinspeak, Keman, Littlemud, Lostcannon, Monibasin, Panin(inactive), Parkalley, Parkay, Redbird, Rutherford, Sweetmount, and Woodhurst series.

Angelwhine soils have 18 to 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section, have bedrock at 150 to 200 cm, and have a mean summer soil temperature of 11 to 15 degrees C.
Aspetill soils are very deep and have a mollic epipedon that is 61 to 91 cm thick.
Badwater soils are very deep to bedrock and are dominated by boulders in the particle-size control section.
Bickmore soils formed in residuum from limestone and have Btk horizons with has 15 to 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
Bluebell soils formed in residuum and colluvium from volcanic rocks and have a mollic epipedon that is 50 to 100 cm thick.
Booneville soils are very deep, and have a mollic epipedon that is 50 to 112 cm thick.
Buena Vista soils formed in residuum from volcanic rocks and have calcareous material at a depth of 25 to 100 cm.
Dab soils are very deep, and formed in residuum and colluvium from volcanic rocks, and have 60 to 80 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, mainly as gravel.
Dailybasin soils have an ustic moisture regime.
Delhew soils are very deep, and have 14 to 18 percent clay particle-size control section, and rock fragments are dominated by fine gravel (2 to 5 mm diameter) in the particle-size control section.
Hawkinspeak soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section, formed in colluvium and residuum derived from tuff, tuff-breccia, and andesite, and a mollic epipedon that is 50 to 112 cm thick.
Keman soils are very deep, and have mean summer soil temperature of 13 to 14.4 degrees C., and have mollic epipedons that are 76 to 127 cm thick.
Littlemud soils have a mean summer soil temperature of 11.1 to 13.3 degrees C.
Lostcannon soils are very deep, and have 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Monibasin soils are very deep, average 18 to 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section, and have a mean summer soil temperature of 11 to 15 degrees C. and are dominated by stones in the particle-size control section.
Parkalley soils are very deep, and are dominated by flagstones.
Parkay soils are deep and very deep, have mean summer soil temperature of 11 to 14.4 degrees C.
Redbird soils are very deep, and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates within 100 cm of the soil surface.
Rutherford soils have a mollic epipedon that is 50 to 100 cm thick and formed in residuum weathered from quartzite.
Sweetmount soils are derived from andesite, tuff and tuff-breccia and are deep to a paralithic contact.
Woodhurst soils have a mean summer soil temperature of 12.8 to 15 degrees C. and formed in residuum from nonacid igneous rocks.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Rangertaft soils are on backslopes of mountains.
These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from quartzite.
Slopes are 15 to 50 percent.
Elevations are 2,010 to 3,050 meters.
The climate is dry-subhumid with cool moist winters and warm dry summers.
The mean annual precipitation is 450 to 700 mm.
The mean annual temperature is 3 to 6 degrees C.
The frost-free period is 40 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Osditch, Realmcoy, and Topeki series.
Osditch soils are very deep to bedrock.
Realmcoy and Topeki soils are shallow.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangertaft soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly, bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber's needlegrass, and curlleaf mountain mahogany.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 28B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, South Part, Nevada, 2014. The name is coined from two creeks in the area.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the mineral soil surface at 10 cm to 48 cm (A1, A2, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 38 to 74 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 74 cm (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 38 to 74 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 08NV778048-CWL

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.