LOCATION ROYST OR+CA
Established Series
JSC/AON/TDT/JBF/CEG/JTW
02/2022
ROYST SERIES
Landscape--Lava plateaus
Landform--hillslopes and scarp slopes on lava flows
Slope--0 to 70 percent
Parent material--colluvium and residuum derived from basic volcanic rock with minor amounts of volcanic ash in the upper part
Mean annual precipitation--about 500 mm
Mean annual air temperature--about 7 degrees C
Depth class--moderately deep
Drainage class--well drained
Soil moisture regime--xeric
Soil temperature regime--frigid
Soil moisture subclass--typic
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Vitrandic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Royst very cobbly ashy loam, on a west facing hill under cover of juniper and shrubs with a slope of 3 percent and an elevation of 1376 meters. Surface stones are 2 to 3 meters apart and cover less than 3 percent of the surface. When described on April 9, 2003, the soil was moist to the lithic contact. (pH is by Hellige-Truog unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 13 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry, very cobbly ashy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; 24 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky parting to moderate fine granular structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly acid, pH 6.6; clear smooth boundary
A2--13 to 30 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry, very stony ashy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; 26 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles, and 20 percent subangular stones; slightly acid, pH 6.3; abrupt wavy boundary
2Bt1--30 to 50 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) dry, very cobbly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 30 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; 20 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; moderately acid, pH 6.0; clear wavy boundary
2Bt2--50 to 66 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry, extremely cobbly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 38 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; rigid, extremely firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine and many fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 30 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent gravel, 50 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; moderately acid, pH 6.0; clear wavy boundary
2Bt3--66 to 71 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry, extremely cobbly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 45 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; rigid, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 10 percent fine distinct silica masses around rock fragments; 30 percent gravel, 40 percent cobbles, and 1 percent stones; slightly acid, pH 6.2; clear wavy boundary
2Crt--71 to 76 cm; light gray (10YR 7/1) dry, moderately cemented basic volcanic bedrock, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; 5 percent discontinuous prominent clay films on bedrock; 5 percent fine distinct silica masses around rock fragments; fractures 10 to 25 cm apart; abrupt wavy boundary
2R--76 cm; indurated basic volcanic bedrock; fractures greater than 25 cm apart
TYPE LOCATION: Klamath County, Oregon; about 2 miles southwest of the community of Beatty, Oregon; about 200 m south and 245 m east of the northwest corner of sec. 28, T. 36 S., R. 12 E.; Willamette Meridian; Beatty, Oregon, U. S. Geological Survey quadrangle; latitude 42.4261639 degrees north, longitude 121.3073972 degrees west, datum WGS 84 (coordinates determined with a GPS)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--5 to 8 degrees C
Soil temperature--Above 5 degrees C from about March 15 to November 15
Soil moisture control section--10 to 30 cm; usually moist, but dry in all parts about 80 to 100 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
Depth to paralithic contact--50 to 97 cm (20 to 38 in); occurs immediately above the lithic contact
Depth to lithic contact--53 to 100 cm (21 to 40 in)
Mollic epipedon--50 to 76 cm thick and includes all or part of the argillic horizon
Base saturation in the mollic epipedon--75 to 100 percent (by NH4OAc)
Estimated properties, horizons above the lithologic discontinuity (A horizons):
*Volcanic glass content--5 to 20 percent
*Acid oxalate Al+1/2Fe--0.2 to 0.4 percent
*Moist bulk density--1.0 to 1.2 g/cc
*15 bar water retention--10 to 15 percent on air dried samples
*Medium to very coarse sand in the 0.02 to 0.2 mm fraction--greater than 40 percent
*Paralithic contact immediately above the lithic contact--3 to 10 cm thick
Particle-size control section
*Clay content--35 to 45 percent
*Rock fragment content--35 to 85 percent, weighted average
A horizons
Hue--10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value--2 to 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma--1 to 3 moist and 1 to 4 dry
Fine-earth texture--ashy loam, ashy sandy loam
Rock fragments--4 to 60 percent
Reaction--Strongly acid to neutral
Thickness--15 to 38 cm
Bt horizons
Hue--5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value--2.5 to 4 moist, 4 through 6 dry
Chroma--2 through 4 moist and dry
Texture--clay or clay loam
Rock fragments--20 to 85 percent
Reaction--moderately acid to neutral
Thickness--23 to 65 cm
COMPETING SERIES:
Dupratt(T Oregon)--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm; greater than 45 percent clay in the particle size control section
Erakatak--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm; mollic epipedon less than 50 cm thick; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic; moisture control section is dry late July through late October (more than 100 consecutive days)
Finsel(T Oregon)--Acid oxalate Al+1/2Fe is greater than 0.4 percent; less than 40 percent medium to very coarse sand in the 0.02 to 0.2 mm fraction
Hamtah--more than 100 cm to a lithic contact
Home Camp--does not have a lithic contact at less than 100 cm
Humarel(T Oregon)--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm, mollic epipedon that is less than 50 cm thick
Lamulita(T Oregon)--more than 100 cm to a lithic contact
Maule(T Oregon)--has an O horizon; acid oxalate Al+1/2Fe is greater than 0.4 percent; mean annual soil temperature 4.4 to 7.2 degrees C; less than 25 percent rock fragments in the A horizon
Menbo--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact within 100 cm; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic; dry in all parts of the soil moisture control section for about 100 to 120 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Shotsprings(T Oregon)--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm; mollic epipedon less than 50 cm thick; has an O horizon; acid oxalate Al+1/2Fe is greater than 0.4 percent
Squatterflat(T Oregon)--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm; more than 100 cm to a lithic contact
Wiltop--does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact at less than 100 cm; more than 100 cm to a lithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation--915 to 2015 m
Climate--cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Mean annual precipitation--330 to 1145 mm
Mean annual air temperature--4 to 8 degrees C
Frost-free period--40 to 80 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Bly--fine-loamy, bedrock at depth of greater than 150 cm; terraces and alluvial fans
Booth--fine particle-size control section, abrupt boundary and clay increase between the A and Bt horizons; similar landforms
Mound--over 100 cm deep to bedrock, low base saturation in the upper 76 cm; similar landforms on north-facing slopes
Nuss--do not have an argillic horizon, 18 to 30 percent clay, bedrock at depths of 30 to 50 cm; similar landforms
Woodcock--medial-skeletal particle-size control section; 25 to 35 percent clay; over 100 cm deep to duripan or lithic contact; similar landforms on north-facing slopes
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity--moderately low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Use--limited timber production, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat
Vegetation--ponderosa pine, western juniper, curlleaf mountain mahogany, antelope bitterbrush, Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rocky and Blue Mountain Foothills, Idaho and Oregon, MLRA 10; Klamath and Shasta Valleys and Basins, Oregon, MLRA 21; Northern Rocky Mountains, Idaho, Montana, Washington, MLRA 43; extensive
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Klamath County, Oregon; 1977.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon
*Mollic epipedon (pachic)--A1, A2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons
*Vitrandic soil properties--the zone from the surface to 30 cm
*Argillic horizon--Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons
*Particle-size control section--The zone from 30 to 71 cm
*Some pedons under trees can have an Oi horizon less than 3 cm thick, consisting of recent pine litter
Additional Data:
*NASIS User Site ID--03-SMM-003
*NASIS User Pedon ID--03OR681003
Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy
*Relationship to Snell Series--The Snell Series is similar to the Royst Series. Royst soils when originally described did not describe the R, the description stopped with the Cr contact. The Snell and Royst series were separated on lithic vs. paralithic contact. When the Royst Series was revised and the R contact described these two series became similar. As mapped the Snell series is mapped in MLRA 9 and 43 and Royst in MLRA 10, 21 and 43. The areas mapped as Royst in MLRA 43 should be re-correlated to the Snell series. MLRA 9 is a grass dominated range area with late spring precipitation. MLRA 10 and 21 is a grass-shrub dominated range area which lacks the spring precipitation. In addition, the Royst series in MLRA 21 has been sampled, has Vitrandic properties, and no longer competes with the Snell series.
01/2017 This official series description was updated according to SSR01 Technical Note--Content and Format of Official Series Descriptions (revised 12/2015). Most of the changes were in formatting; no major technical changes were made.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.