LOCATION VIBO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Vibo sandy loam - juniper-pinyon woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A11--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
B1--2 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) heavy sandy loam, dark reddish brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
B2t--5 to 10 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic common very fine and fine roots; many fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on peds and some fine clay bridging between sand grains; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
B3ca--10 to 18 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) light sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; calcareous, with fine soft lime masses and thin seams; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C1ca--18 to 45 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) heavy sandy loam; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; calcareous, with lime in thin seams and soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
C2--45 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; loose; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Taos County, New Mexico; ELF photo 2-271, stop 3; SE1/4 NE1/4 sec. 22, T., R.10E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 52 to 58 degrees F. and the mean summer soil temperature is 68 to 72 degrees F. The solum is 16 to 40 inches thick. Reaction in the profile ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. The solum usually has less than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches of the surface.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is fine sandy loam or sandy loam.
The B2t horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5, 6, or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is sandy loam, loam, fine sandy loam or loamy sand with the loamy sand below depths of 40 inches
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dalhart and Zeniff series. Dalhert soils are deeper than 10 inches to secondary carbonates. Zeniff soils are noncalcareous throughout the solum and generally have less than 20 percent clay.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Vibo soils are on old alluvial terraces that are several hundred feet thick. Slopes range from 5 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 6,400 feet to 7,400 feet. The annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches with a large proportion resulting from intense late summer thunderstorms. The frost-free season is about 120 to 150 days. The mean annual air temperature is 49 to 55 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gordito, Montecito and Orilla soils. Gordito soils have montmorillonitic mineralogy. Montecito soils have a fine-textured control section. Orilla soils have a lithic contact at depth of 20 inches or less.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed and as a source of fuel wood. Vegetation is mainly of one-seed juniper and pinyon pine in the overstory with broom snakeweed, big sagebrush, blue grama and ring muhly in the understory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern New Mexico. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Taos Area, New Mexico 1976.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 8/77.