LOCATION ANSEL WY+COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ansel loam-on a south-facing concave slope of about 8 percent under lodgepole pine. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--3 inches to 1 inch; pine needles and twigs; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Oe--1 inch to 0; decomposed organic matter; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
E--0 to 5 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate fine granular, vesicular; hard, friable; many very fine and few coarse roots; less than 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--5 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist broken and brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist crushed; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; many very fine and few coarse roots in upper part; continuous moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); diffuse wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
C--42 to 60 inches; variegated gray (2.5Y 5/1) brown (7.5YR 5/4), dark brown (7.5YR 5/4), and light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very fine sandy loam, dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent small, flat fragments, pebbles, and cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1).
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Wyoming; in the SE1/4, NE1/4 of Sec. 30, T30N, R99W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are noncalcareous throughout. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 35 percent but are usually less than 15 percent and consist of small, flat fragments, pebbles, and cobbles. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 36 to 46 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperatures ranges from 40 to 47 degrees F.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 dry and moist. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6 dry and moist. It is clay loam or sandy clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay, 15 to 50 percent silt, and 20 to 60 percent sand with more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 7.5YR. It is typically a loam or very fine sandy loam but may be a fine sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, or gravelly sandy clay loam. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Castelleia, Edloe, Erickson, Graysill(T), Grimstone, Haviland(T), Hierro, Indart, Lick, Limber, Peeler, Perceton, Sapphire, Schofield, Shule, Swifton, Tongue River, Trapper, Uinta, Whitefish, and Woodrock series. Castelleia soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments above a depth of 40 inches. Edloe, Limber, Sapphire, Schofield, Shule, Swapps, and Woodrock soils have a lithic contact above a depth of 40 inches. Erickson soils have a strongly acid Bt horizon. Grimstone, Indart, Perceton, Polvadera, and Tongue River soils have a paralithic contact above a depth of 40 inches. Hierro and Uinta soils have a Bt horizon with hue redder then 7.5YR. Lick, Peeler, and Swifton soils have a thick E&B horizon between the E and Bt horizons. Tahoma soils lack an E horizon. Trapper and Whitefish soils have a continuous horizon of carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ansel soils are on alluvial fan aprons and footslopes. Slopes range from 0 to 45 percent. The soils formed in alluvial deposits derived from schist, granite, and gneiss. Average annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches. The mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F. but will range from 33 to 43 degrees F. Elevation ranges from 7,000 to 9,500 feet. The frost-free season is less than 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Handran, Midelight, and Irigul soils. These soils lack an argillic Bt horizon and Irigul soils also have a lithic contact above a depth of 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for wildlife habitat, recreation, grazing, and forestry. Principal native vegetation is lodgepole pine. Elk sedge, mountain bromegrass, and shrubby cinquefoil are the principal understory vegetation.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of Wyoming and northern Colorado. The soils of this series are moderate in extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Lakewood, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Wyoming, Lander Area; 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1.Albic horizon--0 to 5 inches (E)
2.Argillic horizon--5 to 30 inches (Bt)