LOCATION ANATONE WA+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Anatone very cobbly silt loam, pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; reddish brown(5YR 4/4) very cobbly silt loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; about 60 percent stones, cobbles and gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--4 to 15 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly silt loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; few very fine pores; coatings on some ped surfaces; 60 percent gravel, cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bw2--15 to 17 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) extremely gravelly silt loam; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; few very fine pores; coatings on some ped surfaces; 80 percent gravel, cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear irregular boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
R--17 inches; basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Washington; 1,720 feet south and 640 feet west of northeast corner of section 32, T. 10 N., R. 42 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum and mollic epipedon, and depth to bedrock range from 10 to 20 inches. The mean annual soil temperature at the lithic contact is 44 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry 60 to 75 consecutive days in all parts between 4 and 12 inches or the lithic contact. Soil reaction is neutral or slightly acid. The particle-size control section has 10 to 30 percent clay and 35 to 85 percent coarse fragments consisting of gravel, cobbles and stones.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3 moist, 2 to 4 dry. Texture is silt loam, loam, ashy silt loam or ashy loam with 0 to 85 percent gravel, cobbles and stones. It has an estimated 2 to 15 percent volcanic glass and 0.3 to 1.0 percent Alox + 1/2Feox.
The AB horizon, when present, has color and texture similar to the A horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, or neutral, value of 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 0 to 4 dry, 0 to 3 moist. Texture is loam, silt loam, ashy loam, ashy silt loam, silty clay loam or clay with 25 to 85 percent gravel, cobbles and stones.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Agassiz, Alomax, Bluecanyon, Bocker, Cedaran, Dipcreek (T), Falula, Foxol, Gando, Gomine, Grink, Hogsby, Kenypeak, Little Pole, Nayrib, Onaqui, Rexmont, Starglade (T), Swanner, and Van Wagoner series. Agassiz soils have 35 to 80 percent limestone coarse fragments and limestone bedrock. Alomax and Von Wagoner soils are sandy loam in the fine earth fraction in the particle-size control section. Bluecanyon soils are dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days and are dominated by argillite rock fragments throughout the particle-size control section. Bocker, Nayrib and Starglade soils are 4 to 10 inches deep. Cedaran soils are usually dry. Dipcreek soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 39 to 43 degrees F. Falula, Gando, and Swanner soils have a zone of carbonate accumulation above the lithic contact. Foxol soils have a cambic horizon that is 50 to 80 percent quartzite cobbles and gravel. Grink soils have a mollic epipedon 7 to 10 inches thick and are moderately alkaline and effervescent throughout. Gomine soils have hue of 10YR throughout, dry value of 5 or more and lack a component of loess and ash,. Hogsby soils are dominated by argillite and quartzite rock fragments throughout the particle-size control section of channer and flagstone size. Onaqui soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days and are dominated by quartzite rock fragments of channer and flagstone size. Rexmont soils are moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline throughout and are usually dry.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Anatone soils are on plateaus, ridgetops, canyons, structural benches, and south or west-facing mountain back slopes. Elevations are 3,000 to 6,200 feet. In northeastern Oregon, areas of Anatone soils are recognized on north-facing slopes at elevations down to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. These soils formed in loess and ash mixed with residuum and colluvium from basalt, andesite or welded tuff. Anatone soils are in a continental climate with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 35 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 50 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Harlow, Jumpe, Klicker, Loneridge, Stemilt, Tolo, and Wrightman soils. Harlow and Loneridge soils have a clayey-skeletal argillic horizon. All of these soils except Harlow soils are more than 20 inches to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mostly for livestock grazing. In addition, they are used for wildlife habitat and recreation. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, mossy stonecrop, curlleaf mountain mahogany and stiff sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Washington and eastern Oregon, MLRA 9. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Asotin County, Washington, 1944.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the mineral soil surface to 17 inches
Lithic contact - the zone beginning at 17 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 17 inches
Further investigation is needed as to the degree and uniformity of the ash influence of this soil. Extensive areas have been mapped both pre and post Andisol Order. This has resulted in survey areas recognizing ashy modifiers and vitrandic criteria and other survey areas not recognizing ash influence. Both scenarios are included in the current Anatone concept where the shallow and skeletal soil characteristics dominate the use and management of the soil. Furture consideration should be given to the factor of aspect and ash influence where north-facing slopes may be better correlated to the ash influence and the south-facing slopes to no ash influence.