Soil survey--Desert Experimental Range, Utah

30 Pages·1997·1.9 MB·English

by  Tew, Ronald K

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

aSDll.A48 —
Survey Desert
Soil
ofAgriculture
.
* j ForestService Experimental Range,
Intermountain
Research Station
Utah
General Technical
Report lNT-GTR-347
April 1997
Ronald K.Tew
Stanley G. Kitchen
Ralph C. Holmgren
111
The Authors Other Classification Criteria 4
Methods 6
Ronald K.Tew (retired) has been a Soil Scientistattine Soil Survey 6
Intermountain Region, Fish Lake National Forest. He Herbage Production 6
earned a B.S. degree in agronomyfrom Brigham Young Description of Soils and Mapping Units 7
University,anM.S.degreeinsoilphysicsfromUtahState Alluvial Land (A1) 7
University, and a Ph.D. degree in plant nutrition and Ansping Gravelly Loam (AaC) 8
biochemistryfrom Utah State University. Besides his 22 Aysees Gravelly Sandy Loam (AbB) 8
years of service in various Intermountain Region ap- Dera Gravelly Sandy Loam (DaB) 9
pointments, he also worked for the Intermountain Re- Dera Gravelly Sandy Loam, Eroded (DaC2) 9
searchStation,SoilConservationService, ParkService, Dera-Rock Outcrop Complex (DfC) 10
andasanAssociate ProfessorforFresnoStateCollege. Hiko Springs Gravelly Sandy Loam (HbB) 10
StanleyG. Kitchen is a Botanistwith the Intermountain Hike Springs-Juva Complex (HcA) 10
Research Station, ShrubSciences Laboratory in Provo, Juva Sandy Loam (JbB) 1
UT. He earned a B.S. degree in secondary education/ Juva-Playa Complex (JeA) 1
biologyfrom UtahStateUniversityandanf^.S.degreein Lynndyl Sandy Loam (LdB) 1
agronomy/horticulture from Brigham Young University. Overland Gravelly Loam (OrE) 12
He has been a Forest Service botanist since 1988 and Penoyer Very Fine Sandy Loam (PeA) 12
managerofthe Desert Experimental Rangesince 1992. Pintwater Gravelly Sandy Loam (PtD) 13
Playa(PI) 13
RalphC.Holmgren(retired)hasbeenaRangeScientist Rockland—Dolomite (R1) 14
—
atthe Intermountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Rockland Igneous (R2) 14
Laboratory, Provo, UT. He earned a B.S. degree from Rockland—Quartzite (R3) 14
Brigham Young University in botany. He served as a Sagers Silt Loam (SaA) 14
scientistwiththe ForestServicefor30years, the last20 Sardo Gravelly Sandy Loam (ScC) 15
of which he specialized in studies of salt-desert shrub Tipperary Loamy Sand (TcA) 15
ranges at the Desert Experimental Range. Uffens Sandy Loam (UaB) 16
Yaki Gravelly Loam (YaD) 17
Soil and Landscape Characteristics 17
Xeric Uplands (A) 17
Contents
Shallow Soils and Low Rocky Hills (B) 17
Page Deep, Loamy-Skeletal, Carbonatic Soils (C) 18
Deep, Coarse-Loamy, Mixed Soils (D) 18
Introduction 1
Pine Valley Hardpan (E) 19
Physiographic Setting 1
Herbage Production 19
Geology
1
Xeric Uplands (A) 19
Factors of Soil Formation 1
Climate 1 Shallow Soils and Low Rocky Hills (B) 20
Deep, Loamy-Skeletal, Carbonatic Soils (C) 20
Parent Materials 3
Deep, Coarse-Loamy, Mixed Soils (D) 20
Topography 3
Living Organisms 3 Pine Valley Hardpan (E) 20
Discussion 20
Time 3
Conclusions 22
Soil Taxonomy 3
References 22
Diagnostic Horizons 3
Cover:Aerialphotographs(1:30,000scale),takenoftheDesertExperimentalRangein1970,were
used to locate mapping unitboundaries and toestimate total area foreach soils series complex.
Intermountain Research Station
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT84401
—
Soil Survey Desert Experimental
Range, Utah
Ronald K. Tew
Stanley G. Kitchen
Ralph C. Holmgren
Introduction Simonson dolomite. Fish Haven dolomite, and
Guilmettelimestonealsopresent.Tinticquartziteisa
The Desert Experimental Range in southwestern light-coloredformationcommonlyassociatedwiththe
Millard County, UT, encompasses 22,533 ha (87 sec- dolomite. Early Tertiary volcanic rocks occurring on
tions) within townships 24 and 25 south, ranges 17 the south and east include andesite, trachyte, latite,
and 18 west (fig. 1). This area is maintained by the and rhyolite materials.
IntermountainResearchStation,ShrubSciencesLabo-
ratory at Provo, UT. It is used as rangeland for live- Factors of Soil Formation
stockundercontrolled systems ofmanagement.
Duringthelatesummerandearlyfallof1970, soils Fivemajorfactorsofsoilformationareconsideredas
weremappedontheentireDesertExperimentalRange. they relate to the DesertExperimental Range.
Chiefobjectives were to determine: (1) the kind, ex-
tent,anddistributionofmajorsoilsandgroupsofsoils, Climate
(2) the type ofvegetation associated with each major
soil group, and (3) the correlation between herbage Temperatureandprecipitationinfluencethephysi-
production and soil groups. cal and biological processes within the soil. Sparse
precipitation limits vegetation production and soil
Physiographic Setting litter accumulation. Also, insufficient moisture is re-
ceived to move significant amounts ofclay and salt
TheDesertExperimentalRangeoccursintheGreat throughthesoil. Therefore,calcificationandsaliniza-
Basin which is characterized bybroad, sparselyveg- tion are the dominate pedogenic processes atwork.
etated desert valleys with closed drainage systems Mean precipitation is greatest in July and August
and intermittent mountain ranges. Elevation ranges (table 1). Infrequent, locally intense storms occur,
fi:om1,554monthePineValleyhardpanto2,578mon oftenwithsignificantrunoff,andlittlemoisturereach-
thetopofTunnelSpringsMountain,however,mostof ingthe root zone. December, January, and February
the areais below 2,000 m. ElevationatStationhead- are the driest months although moisture received in
quarters is 1,600 m. the winter and spring is more effective inrecharging
Long,broadcoalescingalluvialfansstartatthebase the soil than precipitation received during summer.
of the mountains and continue to the valley floors. Ashcroft and others (1992) show mean annual pre-
These fans are dissected by a network of gullies. cipitation at Station headquarters is 15.8 cm, but as
Ephemeral drainage waters flow through the gullies muchas22oraslittleas9cmisexpected 1yearin10.
to the large playa northeast ofheadquarters. An an- Precipitation increases to about 20 cm in the higher
cientlakeoccupiedtheplayaandsurroundingareasin basins, reaches 25 cm at the base of the northern
PineValley.Remnantsofbarsandlakeshorelinesare mountains, and exceeds 30 cm on higher portions of
present, although many have been partially or com- Tunnel Springs Mountain (fig. 1).
^0
pletelyalteredbyfloodwaters. Buriedlakesediments Recorded air temperature extremes are °C
are common. and 40 °C, with a mean annual air temperature of
9.45 °C. January has the lowest and July has the
Geology highest mean monthly temperature (table 1). The
freeze-free period is 120 to 140 days.
Themountains aremostlyfaidt-blockupliftswitha Mean annual soil temperature at a depth of50 cm
generalnorth-southtrend. Sedimentaryrocksarethe is 10to 11 °C. Meansummersoiltemperatureis21to
dominant feature on the landscape. Sevy dolomite is 22 °C. During the fall and winter months, soil tem-
extensive (Hintze 1980) with Laketown dolomite. peratures exceed air temperatures. From March
1
INTERMOUNTAIN FOREST S. RANGE EXPERIMENT STATION
DESERT EXPERIMENTAL RANGE
MILFORD, UTAH
—
A Xeric uplands Precipitation
B—
Shallow soils/low rocky hills Soil groups
—
C Deep, loamy-skeletal, carbonatic soils
—
D Deep, coarse-loamy mixed soils
—
E Pine Valley hardpan
—
Figure 1 Location mapshowing soil groupsand mean annual precipitation.
2
u
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Table 1 Air temperature and precipitation patterns at the Topography
Desert Experimental Range.
Precipitation* Temperature' Topographicfactorsmayhastenordelaysoilforma-
Month Mean Range Mean Range tion. On steep, sparselyvegetated slopes, significant
cvn - - Lr erosioniscommon.Topsoilisremovedandsoildevel-
January U./D U10 o.lo —o.UU —Qy.CD ttrot tO.Qy opment is impeded. Water and sediments are moved
rBuruary U./ 1 nUlO£o./77^ U.oU —7/.Qy *T—O 4A.O^ intothe valleys. Increased runoffon floodplains may
iviarcn 1.0/ UlO o.1 •3ft7 11 O tTrO> OR.O^ enhance production ofvegetation which may in turn
April 1 47 u lO 'f.oy o.UU 0R./7 t1r0i 1lnU.fOl alter soil development.
May 1.OO U10 / 1U.^ 10 I9.0
Jvjuuinye u.yy nUnU/T«T-OO! 7QO/..7C/O'/7O3 O1Oo7i07 O1IOCD.n11 t1«n0^oOunA.Qcy Living Organisms
August 2.31 U10 Xi.dX) 01 OO ^oUn.7/ to OdoO.Co Vegetationproductiondependsonprecipitation,tem-
September 1.57 0 to 3.73 16.83 12.9 to 18.6 perature,andsoilfertility. OntheDesertExperimen-
October 1.32 0to9.63 10.11 9.2 to 13.1 tal Range, moisture is the primary limiting factor.
November 0.89 0 to 6.71 2.78 -2.3 to 5.6 As a result, only small quantities ofvegetation and
December 0.74 0to 3.99 -2.17 -6.2 to 1.2 litter are present to protect the soils from erosion.
Meanannual15.77 7.13to28.19 9.45 8.1 to 10.2 Also, micro-organism activity is inhibited when soil
^Precipitationandtemperaturerecordscover13years(1935-1947) organic matter is low. Therefore, the influence of
and35years(1950-1984), respectively. hvingorganisms insoil developmentis curtailed in a
desert environment.
Rodents may be as important as vegetation in soil
through July, mean soil and mean air temperatures modification atthe DesertExperimental Range. The
are similar. Soil temperatures exceed 5 °C from the landscape has aconspicuous spotted appeareince due
middleofMeirchtothelastofNovember.Thesevalues to 2 to 20 m diameter patches where soil has been
are not applicable on mountain slopes. modified by digging and mixing. Vegetation on the
Fromthestandpointofchmaticclassification,using modifiedsitesisusuallydominatedbyhalogeton(Ha-
a modified Koppen approach (Trewartha 1968), low logeton glomeratus), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum),
elevationsites areclassifiedintheTemperateDesert Russian thistle (Salsola iberica), or winter fat
climatictypewherearidconditionsexist.Asprecipita-
(Ceratoides lanata).
tion increases, the Temperate Steppe/Hot Summers
climatic type is evident, where mean monthly tem- Time
perature for the warmest month exceeds 22 °C and
semiaridconditionsexist.Withincreasesinelevation Soildevelopmentisrelatedtoageofthegeomorphic
and a concomitant reduction in air temperature, the surface.SoilswithUttlehorizondevelopmentoccuron
Temperate Steppe/Wann Summers climatic type is the recentalluvialdepositsinthevalleybottoms and
apphcable. Forthistype, meanmonthlytemperature atthemouthsofdrainage areas.Also,winderosionis
for the warmest month must be less than 22 °C and continuingto form small dunes. Older soils with dis-
meanmonthlytemperaturesmustbe 10°Cormoreat tincthorizonsofcarbonateaccumulationoccuronthe
least4butnotmorethan6monthsoftheyear.Hence, mo\intain slopes and on stabilized alluvial fans.
only a narrow range ofclimatic conditions influence
soil formation atthe DesertExperimented Range. Taxonomy
Soil
Parent Materials
Taxonomic placement ofsoils complies with guide-
Soils developing in sediments from dolomite and linesprovidedbytheSoilConservationService(1994).
limestonehavehighcarbonatecontent.Manyarealso Foramoregeneralreviewofsoiltaxonomictermssee
laden with cobble and gravel-sized rock fragments Donahue and others (1983). An explanation ofcom-
that decrease in size and quantity as distance from monly used soil terminology follows. The reader is
mountzdns increases. further directed to study tables 2 and 3 and figure 2
In areas where igneous orquartzite parentmateri- while readingthis publication.
als are dominant, soils have a high sand content.
Diagnostic Horizons
Although these soils are lower in carbonates than
those developing in hmestone and dolomite, carbon-
Therearefivediagnostichorizonsthatarerelevant
ates are still plentiful.
insoilclassificationattheDesertExperimentalRange.
3
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Table 2 Desert Experimental Range soil classification.
Series name Svmbols GreatarouD Subaroun pAamlliIll\l#y
Ansping AaC Calcixeroll Aridic Loanny-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid
Aysees AbB Haplocalcid Typic Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic
Dera DaB Haplocalcid Typic Loamy-skeletal
DaC2 carbonatic, mesic
Hiko Springs HbB Haplocalcid Typic Coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic
Juva JbB Torrifluvent Typic Coarse-loamy, mixed, calcareous, mesic
Lynndyl LdB Haplocalcid Typic Sandy, mixed, mesic
Overland OrE Haplocalcid Xeric Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid
Penoyer PeA Torriorthent Typic Coarse-silty, mixed, calcareous, mesic
Pintwater PtD Torriorthent Lithic Loamy-skeletal, mixed, calcareous, mesic
Sagers SaA Torriorthent Typic Fine-silty, mixed, calcareous, mesic
Sardo ScC Haplocambid Typic Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic
Tipperary TcA Torripsamment Typic Mixed, mesic
Uffens UaB Natrargid Typic Fine-loamy, mixed, mesic
Yaki YaD Haplocalcid Lithic Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic
—
Table 3 Mapping unit names and symbols for Desert The most common surface horizon is the ochric
Experimental Range soils. epipedon.Thisisahorizontoolightincolor,toolowin
Symbol Field name Area mapped organic matter, ortoo thin to be a mollic epipedon.
Ha The mollic epipedon is a dark colored surface hori-
A1 Alluvial land 292 zon with at least one percent organic matter and is
AaC Ansping gravelly loam 79 generally more than 18 cm thick. Structure is strong
AbB Aysees gravelly sandy loam 228 enough to avoid being hsird and massive when dry.
DaB Deragravelly sandy loam 705 Base saturation is 50 percent or more.
DaC2 Dera gravelly sandy loam, eroded 6,019 A common subsurface feature is the calcic horizon
DfC Dera-Rockoutcropcomplex 173 associated with secondary carbonate enrichment. It
HbB Hiko Springs—gravellysandy loam 625 mustbe atleast 15 cmthick, have atleast 15 percent
HcA Hiko Springs Juvacomplex 207 calcium carbonate equivalent, and have at least
JbB Juva—sandy loam 1,221 5percentmorecarbonatethantheunderlyinghorizon.
JeA Juva Playacomplex 130 Cambic horizons occupy the position ofa B horizon
LdB Lynndyl sandy loam 463
OrE Overland gravelly loam 722 andaresodesignated. Materialshavebeenalteredor
PeA Penoyerveryfine sandy loam 294 removed, but not accumulated. Textures are finer
PtD Pintwatergravellysandy loam 433 than loamy fine sand. The base ofthe cambic must
P1 Playa 520 extend to atleast 25 cm below the surface.
—
R1 Rockland Dolomite 2,729 Natric horizons occupy the position ofa B horizon
—
R2 Rockland—Volcanic 450 andusuallyhaveprisms orcolumns. There isover 15
R3 Rockland Quartzite 382 percent saturation with exchangeable sodium.
SaA Sagers silt loam 162
ScC Sardo gravellysandy loam 2,826 Other Classification Criteria
TcA Tipperary loamy sand 1,353
UaB Uffens sandy loam 462 Presently,11ordersarerecognizedinsoiltaxonomy.
YaD Yaki gravelly loam 2,058 Onlythree,Aridisols,Entisols,andMolHsolsarefound
Total 22.533 atthe DesertExperimental Rginge. Entisols are soils
withoutgenetichorizonsorhaveonlythebeginningof
such horizons. Aridisols at the Desert Experimental
Range have an ochric epipedon and either a calcic,
natric,oracambichorizon. Somehavebothcalcicand
cambic horizons present. The moUisols have a mollic
epipedon.
Eachorderissubdividedintosuborders,greatgroups,
subgroups, families, and series (table 2).
4
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Figure2 Soil survey mapofthe Desert Experimental Range, February 1995. Explanations
ofsymbolsarefound in tables 1 and 2.
To classify soils at the subgroup and family levels, than35 percentrockfragments. Texturalterms such
information is needed on soil moisture and soil tem- as sandy and loamy are selfexplanatory.
perature regimes, soil mineralogy, and particle size
groupings. Four modifiers, Aridic, Lithic, Typic, and Methods
Xeric are considered. Lithic soils are less than 50 cm
deep. The othermodifiersreferinparttoaparticular Procedures followed in completing the soil survey
moisture regime. and obtaining herbage production estimates are de-
To define moisture regimes, amoisture control sec- scribed as follows.
tionisused.Theupperboundaryisthedepthtowhich
2.5 cm ofwaterwillmoisten drysoilwithin24hours. Soil Survey
Its lower boundary is the depth to which 7.5 cm of
water will penetrate dry soil within 48 hours. At the Soilprofileswereexaminedinhand-dugpitsthrough-
Desert Experimental Range, this usually places the outthe DesertExperimental Range. As the pits were
moisturecontrolsectionbetween25and75cm,except dug, information was obtained on soil texture, rock
on lithic soils where only material above bedrock is fi^agment content (by volume), reaction, structure,
considered. consistence, color, depth, roots, parentmaterialtype,
The moisture control section is considered dry if pores, physiography, relief, elevation, slope, aspect,
moisture tensions exceed 1,500 kPa (15 bars) and erosion, and vegetation as a basis for soils descrip-
moistiftensions are less than 1,500 kPa. Soilslisted tions.Usingthisinformation,soilswereclassifiedand
in the Typic subgroup are dry more than three-quar- identified on a working legend. New soils with their
ters ofthe time (cumulative) in all parts ofthe mois- identifying sjonbols were added to the legend as the
ture control section when the soil temperature at a surveyprogressed.Miscellaneouslandtypesandcom-
depthof50cmexceeds5°C.OverlandsoilsintheXeric plexes were also given symbols and mapped. Most
subgroupandAnspingsoilsintheAridicsubgroupare mappingunitshadonemajorsoiltypewithinclusions
drymorethanhalfofthetime(cumulative)whensoil oflessextensivesoils.Areaoccupiedbyinclusionswas
temperature exceeds 5 °C. estimated and is indicated in the descriptions.
Family criteria needing clarification include soil Aerialphotos(scale:3.11cm/km)wereusedtolocate
temperature,mineralogy,andparticlesizegroupings. themappingunits.Lineswereplacedonthephotosto
SoilsattheDesertExperimentalRangeareclassified delineate soil boundaries. Area ofcoverage for each
in the mesic temperature regime (mean annual soil soilserieswasestimatedfrommappingunits(table3).
temperature at 50 cm depth is 8 to 15 °C) or in the Soil pits for modal profiles were opened with a
frigid regime where mean annual soil temperatures backhoe, except for shallow soils on the mountains
arelessthan8°Candmeansummersoiltemperatures where pits were dug with a shovel. Samples were
exceed 15 °C. collectedandsenttoUtahStateUniversityforanaly-
The mineralogy and particle size groupings apply sis. Emphasis was placed on analyses that were rel-
to the "control section." This control section should evant from the standpoint of classification such as
notbeconfusedwiththesoilmoisturecontrolsection. texture,carbonate content, cationexchange capacity,
Forthesoilslisted,thiscontrolsectionisbetween25 exchangeable sodium percentages, electrical conduc-
and100cm,exceptforshallowsoilswhereallmaterial tivity ofthe saturation extract (EC), percent organic
above bedrock is considered. carbon, and moisture holdingproperties.
Two mineralogic groups are given: mixed and
carbonatic.Carbonaticimpliesthatcarbonatecontent Herbage Production
plusgypsuminthecontrolsectionexceeds40percent
byweightwhenallsoilmateriallessthan2mmorless Annualherbageproductionestimateswereobtained
than 20 mm diameter (whichever has the higher from records kept by the Intermountain Research
percentage ofcarbonates plusgypsum) isconsidered. Station,ShrubSciencesLaboratory.Herbageproduc-
Mixedmineralogyapplieswhensoilshaveacombina- tion estimates were correlated with soil groups to
tion ofminerals with no dominant class. detect differences attributable to unique soil proper-
Soils listed as skeletal have more than 35 percent ties. Similar soils were grouped forthese analyses.
rockfragmentsbyvolumeinthecontrolsection.Frag- Herbage production estimates were obtained in
mental soUs have large quantities ofrock fi"agments Octoberfrom 20 fenced pastures 97 to 130 hain size.
and insufficient fine earth materied to fill the rock Production measiu-ements for 1938 through 1945,
fi-agment interstices. Fragmental soils at the Desert 1947, and 1957 were used. Grazing treatments were
Experimental Range are limited to small inclusions imposed on the pastures starting in 1934-1935 with
foiind on steep topography. All other soUs have less sheep use controlled at light, moderate, or heavy
6