LOCATION ZIBATE NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Lithic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Zibate very gravelly sandy loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 45 percent pebbles and 5 percent with cobbles.
A1--0 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles and 3 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
A2--3 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse, and few very coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 45 percent pebbles and 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse, and few very coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on peds faces and coating rock fragments; 55 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 13 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard; firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common fine and medium interstitial pores; common distinct clay films on rock fragments; 65 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
R--19 inches; hard fractured rhyolitic bedrock; common faint clay films in fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Nye County, Nevada; approximately 2 miles northeast of Silicon Mine, about 2,375 feet west and 1,955 feet south of the northeast corner of section 21, T. 11 S., R. 48 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually dry, but moist in some part for short periods in the winter and early spring months and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October due to convection storms.
Soil temperature - 59 to 64 degrees F.,
Depth to bedrock - 14 to 20 inches.
Effervescence - Noneffervescent to strongly effervescent.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 through 5 dry or moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture of fine earth: Averages loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 85 percent.
Structure: Subangular blocky or horizon is massive.
Consistence: Soft through hard dry, very friable through firm moist, slightly sticky and slightly plastic wet.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bosa(AZ) and Newera(T NV) series. Bosa soils are moist more than 20 days cumulative during the summer, have soil temperature of 69 to 72 degrees F., and have hue of 5YR and 7.5YR. Newera soils have 35 to 60 percent rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zibate soils are on all aspects of summits and side slopes of hills and mountains. These soils formed in residuum of volcanic flow rock, tuff, and quartzitic bedrock. Slopes are 8 to 90 percent. Elevations are 3,400 to 5,300 feet. The climate is mild, arid with warm dry summers and cold winters. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches; mean annual temperature is 57 to 63 degrees F., and the frost- free season is 180 to 220 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Zoyer soils. Zoyer soils lack an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid or very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly blackbrush, Nevada ephedra, wolfberry, spiny menodora, and shadscale.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 30.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Esmeralda County, Nevada. 1984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to about 6 inches.
Argillic horizon - The zone from about 6 to 19 inches (Bt horizon).
Lithic contact - The contact at 19 inches (R horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 6 to 19 inches (Bt horizon).