LOCATION SKELLOG CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

SKELLOG SERIES

The Skellog series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium, alluvium, and till derived from granitic and metasedimentary rocks. The Skellog soils are on mountain slopes and drainageways of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 5 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1020 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 10 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Skellog sandy loam on a west facing (240 degree), 13 percent slope under white fir, sugar pine, and incense cedar at an elevation of 1662 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on May 4, 2015 the soil was slightly moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) slightly decomposed plant material, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderately acid (pH 5.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

A--2 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 5 percent clay; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 1 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite fine gravel; NaF pH 9.5; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 30 cm thick)

AB--8 to 27 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 4 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 2 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite gravel, 2 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite cobbles; NaF pH 9.5; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 35 cm thick)

Bw1--27 to 45 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stony sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine, and common fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 3 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite gravel, 5 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite cobbles, 20 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite stones; NaF pH 9.0; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt irregular boundary. (10 to 40 cm thick)

Bw2--45 to 113 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 2 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout, and common medium, coarse, and very coarse roots around fragments; common very fine irregular and common fine interstitial pores; 6 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granodiorite gravel, 25 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granodiorite cobbles, 30 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granodiorite stones; NaF pH 9.0; strongly acid (pH 5.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (20 to 70 cm thick)

BC--113 to 151 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very cobbly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; 6 percent clay; structureless massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 3 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite fine gravel, 20 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite cobbles, 15 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite stones; NaF pH 9.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, Redwood Grove Creek Trail; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: General Grant Grove, California; WGS84 36.676647 latitude and -118.909114 longitude; UTM zone 11 4060702 meters N 329409 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 7 to 12 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about July to October (about 120 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 30 to 100 cm
Cambic horizon thickness: 30 to 100 cm

Organic matter: 2 to 6 percent in the epipedon

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 75 cm.

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75 cm from the mineral soil surface

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, with 0 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders.
Clay content: 3 to 15 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 10.0

A horizon (and AB horizon, where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 3 to 14 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 60 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 15 percent stones
0 to 10 percent boulders
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bw1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 75 percent
0 to 50 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 20 percent stones
0 to 10 percent boulders
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

Bw2 horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 8 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
0 to 50 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 30 percent stones
0 to 10 percent boulders
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

BC horizon (or C horizon, where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 6 moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 2 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
0 to 40 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 25 percent stones
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Mazdale (MLRA 6) soils. Mazdale soils contain 16 to 25 percent clay in the particle size control section and have ashy surface textures.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Skellog soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes and drainageways. Slopes range from 5 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium, alluvium, and till derived from granite, granodiorite, and schist. Elevation is 1180 to 2600 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 660 to 1140 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 7 to 13 degrees C. The frost-free season is 105 to 205 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canyonview, Gratwell, and Littlebaugh soils. The Canyonview soils are on convex backslopes of mountain slopes and are sandy-skeletal. The Gratwell soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and are coarse-loamy. The Littlebaugh soils are on convex structural benches on mountain slopes and have a lithic contact between 50 and 100 cm.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is white fir, sugar pine, incense cedar, and giant sequoia.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES PROPOSED: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The name is coined.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 27 to 102 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 2 to 45 cm
Cambic Horizon 45 to 151 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2015CA7923010

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.