LOCATION REDFERN MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Redfern very cobbly loam, bouldery, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--1/2 to 0 inches; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves. (0 to 3 inches thick)
A--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 30 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
E--3 to 7 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 40 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; many distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds and bridging sand grains; 20 percent cobbles, 45 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8). (6 to 13 inches thick)
R--18 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1), hard fine grained igneous bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 1,200 feet south and 1,800 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 8, T. 5 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches or from 4 inches to the lithic contact if bedrock is less than 12 inches.
Depth to argillic horizon - 3 to 13 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 10 to 20 inches.
Surface stones or boulders - 0 to 20 percent.
A transitional weak Bt or BC horizon is allowed.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 2, 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent--0 to 20 percent stones and cobbles, 20 to 40 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 65 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, and 20 to 40 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 23 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--0 to 15 percent stones, 15 to 30 percent cobbles, and 20 to 45 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Hapjack (WY) - does not have an E horizon; has 15 to 24 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Herakle (CO) - has a calcic horizon; has a Btk horizon; has limestone rock fragments; bedrock is limestone.
Snowdon (CO) - has a udic moisture regime.
Whiteman (UT) - does not have an E horizon; formed in residuum from limestone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - escarpments, ridges, divides and sideslopes of mountains.
Elevation - 5,400 to 7,800 feet.
Slope - 15 to 70 percent.
Parent material - colluvium or residuum derived from hard fine grained sandstone or fine grained igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 24 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Redfern soils are primarily used for timber production, wildlife habitat, and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir with a sparse understory of common juniper, Oregongrape, heartleaf arnica, Kinnikinnick, russet buffaloberry, and grouse whortleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Redfern soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT3083, MT3084. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a layer of partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves from 1/2 inches to the mineral soil surface (Oi horizon); an ochric epipedon from the mineral surface to 7 inches (A, E horizons); an argillic horizon from 7 to 18 inches (Bt horizon); a particle- size control section from 7 to 18 inches (Bt horizon); hard fine grained igneous bedrock at 18 inches (R horizon). Redfern soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.