LOCATION MAYGAL NVTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Maygal very gravelly coarse sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with about 4 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles, and 40 percent pebbles.
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 2 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles, and 45 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
A2--3 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 55 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay bridges on sand grains and coating pebbles; 60 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2--11 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine, common fine, and common medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay bridges on sand grains and coating pebbles; 65 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
R--15 inches; very hard fractured rhyolite; some roots and fine-earth soil in fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada; in the Pine Nut Mountains about 1 mile northwest of Bald Mountain; about 320 feet north and 290 feet west of the southeast corner of section 8, T. 11 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Double Spring 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 38 degrees 49 minutes 29 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 31 minutes 52 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from July through early October for 75 to 90 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; Xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 54 to 59 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 15 inches; includes the Bt1 horizon and also the Bt2 horizon in some pedons.
Depth to bedrock - 14 to 20 inches to a lithic contact.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 25 percent; Rock fragments: Averages 60 to 80 percent, mainly pebbles. Lithology of fragments are volcanic rocks such as rhyolite or andesite.
Reaction - Slightly acid or neutral.
A horizons - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Bt1 and Bt2 horizons - Value: 5 dry, 3 moist, but in some pedons lower subhorizons are 6 dry and 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent.
Structure: Weak or moderate subangular blocky.
Organic matter content: 1 or 2 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bushpark, Copenhaver, Donkehill (T), Hogmalat, Layview, Mosroc, Mountpatterson (T), Nielsen, Nieman, Notstew (T), and Thiefridge (T) series.
Bushpark soils have a udic moisture regime. Copenhaver and Nieman soils have an ustic moisture regime. Donkehill soils have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates and are slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Hogmalat soils average 35 to 55 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section and have more than 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Layview soils have lithic contacts that are within 14 inches of the soil surface and average 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Mosroc soils have less than 60 percent rock in the particle-size control section and have rock fragments that are granitic rocks. Mountpatterson soils have mean summer soil temperature of 47 to 54 degrees F. Nielsen soils are dominated by channers and have rock fragments that are sandstone or quartzite. Notstew soils have lithic contacts that are within 14 inches of the soil surface and average 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Thiefridge soils average 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, have Oi horizons, and have 4 to 10 percent organic matter in the A horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Maygal soils are on mountains. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from altered volcanic rocks of rhyolitic or andesitic composition. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 7,600 to 9,300 feet. The climate is subhumid-continental with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches, the mean annual temperature is 38 to 42 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakscratch and Dab soils. Bakscratch soils are shallow to paralithic contacts and have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Dab soils are very deep and have thick mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Maygal soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, currant, green ephedra, spike fescue, and Letterman's needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES PROPOSED: Douglas County, Nevada, 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 15 inches (A1, A2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 7 to 15 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 15 inches to underlying hard bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 7 to 15 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).