LOCATION SYLVANIAM               NV

Established Series
Rev. JHD/JBF/WED
07/2016

SYLVANIAM SERIES

The Sylvaniam series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from dolomite, limestone and other highly calcareous sedimentary rocks. Sylvaniam soils are on mountain sideslopes and ridges. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 360 mm and mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Typic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Sylvaniam gravelly loam--woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Approximately 40 percent surface gravel and 5 percent cobbles.

A1--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium and many very fine roots; common medium and fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

A2--8 to 28 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few coarse and many medium and fine and very fine roots; common medium and fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; common thin carbonate pendants on undersides of rock fragments; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 25 cm thick)

Bw1--28 to 43 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common coarse and many medium and fine roots; few medium and fine tubular pores; 50 percent gravel; very few moderately thick carbonate pendants on undersides of rock fragments; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)

Bw2--43 to 66 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common coarse and many medium and fine roots; few medium tubular pores; 45 percent gravel; few moderately thick carbonate pendants coating rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 38 cm thick)

Bk--66 to 81 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few coarse and medium and fine roots; few medium and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 45 percent gravel; common moderately thick carbonate pendants on undersides of rock fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

R--81 cm; hard limestone.

TYPE LOCATION: Esmeralda County, Nevada; about 1 mile southeast of Lida Summit; approximately 960 feet west and 680 feet south of the northeast corner of section 17, T. 6 S., R. 40 E; USGS Magruder Mountain 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 37 degrees 25 minutes 19.6 seconds N and 117 degrees 33 minutes 38.3 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 37.422333 latitude, -117.5605556 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter, spring and early summer, dry in late summer and fall but moist intermittently due to convection storms. Dry in all parts at least 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice: typic xeric soil moisture regime bordering on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon: 28 to 43 cm thick.
Depth to Bk horizon: Greater than 41 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 cm.
Carbonates: 40 to 60 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 15 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Structure: Subangular blocky or granular.
Carbonates: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.

Bwl horizon
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry.
Texture: Loam, sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam.
Structure: Moderate or strong subangular blocky.
Carbonates: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.

Bw2 horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Loam, sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam.
Structure: Moderate or strong subangular blocky.
Carbonates: Slightly to strongly effervescent.

Bk horizon
Value: 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Loam, sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent.
Structure: Weak subangular blocky or massive.
Carbonates: 50 to 70 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.

R layer
Limestone or dolomite-carbonate equivalent about 40 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Canyonfork, Cavehill, Cedarcabin, Fontreen, Granzan, Highup, Lizdale, Lizzant and Lonjon series.

Canyonfork, Granzan Fontreen, Lizzant and Lizdale soils are more than 100 cm deep to bedrock. Cavehill and Cedarcabin soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section. High up soils lack cambic horizons. Lonjon soils have a mean annual soil temperature of less than 7 degrees C., and a mollic epipedon 18 to 30 cm thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sylvaniam soils are on mountain sideslopes and ridges. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from dolomite, limestone and other calcareous rocks. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Elevations are 2,200 to 2,720 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 410 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 9 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 80 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Logring, Ubehebe and Trailamp. Logring soils are shallow to hard bedrock and are mesic. Ubehebe and Trailamp soils have an argillic horizon and are shallow a paralithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation includes pinyon pine, mountain big sagebrush, current, snowberry, curl-leaf mountain mahogany, Sandberg bluegrass, prairie junegrass, Wyoming big sagebrush and desert bitterbrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 29.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Esmeralda County, Nevada, l984.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 28 cm (Al and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - The zone from 28 to 66 cm. (Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - The zone from 66 to 81 cm (Bk horizon).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 81 cm (R horizon).
Particle size control section - The zone from 25 to 81 cm (Bw1, Bw2, Bk and part of the A2 horizons).

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.