LOCATION ZUNALEI NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Zunalei loamy fine sand--in a ponderosa pine woodland on an east facing, convex, 4 percent slope, at an elevation of 7,090. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 1 inch; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; single grain; soft, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
AB--1 to 6 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 20 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 26 inches thick)
Bt2--20 to 26 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 19 inches thick)
BCt--26 to 50 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and non plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
BCk--50 to 70 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure: slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 1 percent gravel size sandstone fragments; very slightly effervescent; few very fine masses of calcium carbonate; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8). (The combined thickness of the BC horizons is 0 to 42 inches)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; about 3.8 miles north of Ramah, New Mexico; Ramah Quadrangle; about 1800 feet south and 100 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 13, R. 16 W., T. 11 N.; 108 degrees 29 minutes 09 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually moist, in some part, for more than 90 cumulative days from May through October. It is usually dry, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Typic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 47 to 49 degrees F
Particle size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay.
Depth to secondary calcium carbonates (when present): 28 to 54 inches
A and AB horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 4 or 6
Textures: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
BC horizons
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4 moist
Textures: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
Some pedons have Btk horizons
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Herrada (NM), Manuelito (NM), Savoia (NM), Vibo (NM) and Zeniff (AZ) series. Herrada soils have a lithic contact at 91 inches. Manuelito soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Savoia soils are inactive. Vibo soils receive less than 16 inches of precipitation and mean annual temperature are above 49 degrees and are in LRR-E. Zeniff soils are dominantly noncalcareous throughout and are on flood plains.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Zunalei soils formed in eolian material, alluvium and fan alluvium derived from sandstone and are on fan remnants on valley sides and dipslopes of cuestas. Slopes are 2 to 10 percent. Elevations range from 7,000 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. The frost free period is 90 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bluesky, Corzuni, Fikel, Shoemaker, Trazuni and Venzuni soils. Bluesky soils are shallow over sandstone on cuesta and mesa escarpments. Corzuni soils are coarse-loamy on fan remnants. Trazuni soils have mollic epipedons and are on fan remnants. Fikel and Venzuni soils are fine textured, mesic, and on valley floors and sides. Shoemaker soils are moderately deep and on fan remnants.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff, and moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for wood products and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is ponderosa pine, with associated pinyon pine, Gambel oak, and Rocky Mountain juniper. Understory vegetation is mountain muhly, Arizona fescue, pine dropseed, bottlebrush squirreltail, prairie junegrass, muttongrass, and broom snakeweed.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central, New Mexico; MLRA 35, LRR-D. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McKinley County Area, New Mexico; McKinley County and Parts of Cibola and San Juan Counties, 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 6 inches. (A and AB horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 6 to 26 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.