LOCATION VULTURE MT
Tentative Series
EMR-JMS-RJS
04/2017
VULTURE SERIES
The Vulture series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in till derived from metasedimentary rock. These soils are on ground and lateral moraines. Slopes range from 4 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1,075 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 3.5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Typic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vulture silt loam in aspens on a 7 percent slope at about 1,494 meters elevation (colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 9 cm; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silt loam, black (2.5Y 2.5/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, soft, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; common fine and medium irregular pores; 1 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
Bt1--9 to 19 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, hard, very sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; common fine and medium tubular pores; 15 percent clay films on surfaces along root channels; 1 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--19 to 31 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam, dark olive brown (2.5Y 3/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; very firm, extremely hard, very sticky and very plastic; many fine roots throughout; common very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; 20 percent clay films on surfaces along root channels and 40 percent clay films on all faces of peds; 3 percent fine brownish yellow (10YR 6/6), moist, irregular masses of oxidized iron redoximorphic concentrations; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); gradual smooth boundary.
BC--31 to 73 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) gravelly clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very firm, extremely hard, very sticky and very plastic; common fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.7); gradual smooth boundary.
C--73 to 150 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; massive; firm, hard, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; located about 360 meters north and 780 meters east of the southwest corner of sec. 35, T. 36N., R. 15W; Lake Sherburne topographic quadrangle; UTM Zone 12, 314141e, 5411716n. NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 2.0 to 6.5 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 40 cm
Depth to argillic horizon: 8 to 30 cm
Particle-size control section: averages 20 to 35 percent clay
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 2 to 4 dry; 2 to 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry or moist
Texture: loam or silt loam
Clay content: 10 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones; 0 to 3 percent boulders
Reaction: pH 5.8 to 7.0
Thickness: 8 to 30 cm
Bt1, Bt2 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, silty clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones; 0 to 3 percent boulders
Reaction: pH 5.8 to 7.0
Thickness: 20 to 70 cm
Note: Redox concentrations in the Bt2 horizon are a result of short duration saturation during the spring snow melt. These concentrations are not related to a persistent seasonally high water table.
BC, C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam, sandy loam or loam,
Clay content: 10 to 32 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 80 percent--20 to 55 percent gravel; 5 to 20 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.8 to 7.1
Thickness (BC, C combined): greater than 50 cm
COMPETING SERIES:
Croydon (UT): are deep to a paralithic contact
Gilluly (UT): are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Hourglass (CO): driest months for precipitation are
May and June
Mult (UT): are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Quietus (MT): are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Sponsor (CO): driest months for precipitation are
May and June
Swede (ID): have transitional AB & BA horizons
Wildcow (UT): precipitation is less than 800 mm
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: ground and lateral moraines
Elevation: 1,050 to 2,000 meters
Slope: 4 to 35 percent
Parent material: till derived from metasedimentary rock
Climate: long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers with May and June receiving the most precipitation
Mean annual precipitation: 800 to 1,600 mm
Mean annual air temperature: 1.0 to 6.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period: 35 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained and 1.5 to 15 um/sec.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for recreation and wildlife. The vegetation under a forested canopy is dominated by quaking aspen with a multilayered understory that include Saskatoon serviceberry, common snowberry, common cow parsnip, western sweetroot and mountain brome. In warmer locations the vegetation varies and is dominated by the grasses with a diverse understory of forbs. These grasses are primarily rough fescue, Richardson's needlegrass, and Idaho fescue, and the forbs include old man's whisker and sticky purple geranium.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vulture soils are of limited extent in northern Montana. MLRAs 43A and 43B
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES PROPOSED: Glacier County, Montana, 2016. The series name is derived from a mountain in Glacier National Park.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 31 cm (A, Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 9 to 31 cm (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Particle-size control section: 9 to 31 cm (Bt1, Bt2 horizons).
Vulture soils have a cryic temperature regime and an udic moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.