LOCATION YELLOWMULE MT
Established Series
Rev. GAR-JJU-RJS
03/2012
YELLOWMULE SERIES
The Yellowmule series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium or slide deposits over residuum derived from interbedded shale and sandstone. These soils are on mountains, hills, ridges or landslides. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 28 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 36 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive Eutric Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Yellowmule loam, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, twigs and leaves. (1 to 2 inches thick)
E1--1 to 7 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine angular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, common fine, and few medium pores; 10 percent channers; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
E2--7 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky stucture; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, common fine, and few medium pores; 10 percent channers; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 20 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common very fine, and few fine and medium pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 5 percent channers; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--20 to 31 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) parachannery clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, and few fine and medium pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 5 percent channers, 20 percent parachanners (soft shale chips); neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt1, Bt2 horizons - 14 to 30 inches)
Cr--31 to 60 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) semi-consolidated shale; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Gallatin County, Montana; 1,900 feet west and 2,500 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 10, T. 7S, R. 3E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 34 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 45 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
E1 horizon
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4; dry or moist
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 5 percent flagstones, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
E2 horizon
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 10 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 5 percent flagstones, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Bt1 horizon
Value: 5 to 8 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, clay, silty clay loam or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 10 percent flagstones
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, clay, sandy clay loam or sandy clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 10 percent flagstones
Parafragments: 0 to 35 percent parachanners
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Riflepit (SD) - are very deep
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - mountains, hills, ridges or landslides
Elevation - 5,300 to 8,800 feet
Slope - 4 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium or slide deposits over residuum derived from interbedded shale and sandstone
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers
Mean annual precipitation - 24 to 35 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 38 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Yellowmule soils are used mainly for woodland, understory grazing and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation may include Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, grouse whortleberry, pinegrass, white spirea, twinflower, heartleaf arnica.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Yellowmule soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 11 inches (Oi, E1, E2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 11 to 31 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 11 to 31 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - at 31 inches (Cr horizon)
Yellowmule soils have a cryic temperature regime and an udic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation record - MT1430.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.