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worked over a moderate range of soil moisture without serious loss of favorable physical properties for <br />seedbeds. <br />Any use of the soils of this unit for materials for new seedbeds probably will be accomplished by a mixture <br />of the A2 and B2t horizons. The result will be a matrix of sandy loam or sandy clay loam in which clods <br />of clay loam are embedded. Such a mixture would have physical properties intermediate between those <br />described for [he two horizons separately and would still be physically capable of being toed as seedbeds. <br />Thc soils of this unit are listed as moderate for use in new seedbeds due to anticipated poor fertility levels <br />rather than physital limitations. <br />The soils of this unit have low shrink/swell ratios, with a difference in volume changing ability between the <br />upper and lower soil horizons. Assuming an upper 20 inches of loam to clay loam, the potential total <br />extensibility of a 40-inch section is about 0.4 to 1.4 inches. <br />Normally the soils of this unit are not subject to serious flood hazards, although streams may flood <br />occasionally. In their natural state, these soils are not susceptible to accelerated sail erosion unless native <br />vegetative cover has been destroyed or depleted. When disturbed and cleared these soils are moderately <br />susceptible to both wind and mater erosion. <br />No tendency toward mass movement was noted within areas mapped as mapping unit number X38 and the <br />potential for such movement is low. <br />Chemical Properties and Natural Fertility -These are moderately weathered, mature soils having genetic <br />horizonation including horizons of silicate clay accumulation, but lacking horizons of calcium carbonate <br />accumulation. Soil reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline. Under these conditions the cation <br />• cxchange complex (portion of the soil having the ability to hold and exchange cations) is base saturated or <br />nearly so with calcium being the dominant cation. Thus, there is no deficiency of bases but there is no <br />excess of calcium or magnesium carbonate to depress the availability of other plant nutrients. Detrimental <br />accumulation of sodium or other soluble salt was not observed in these soils. <br />It is characteristic of the type of soil development found in areas of mapping unit number X38 to have <br />thick, strongly weathered and partly leached surface horizons (A2 horizons). These horizons are very light <br />colored due to a lack of organic matter and part of their original content of clay has been removed. The <br />type of vegetative cover (conifer) growing on these soils yields very low annual returns of readily <br />decomposable organic matter and favors acid-forming microbiological life in the organic mulch that <br />overlies the mineral portion of the soil. While these processes are not as advanced as in the Spodosolic <br />soil groups (Podzols), they have exerted some influence on the genesis of the soils of this group. <br />Consequently, natural fertility levels in the upper horizons of the soils of this group are below average for <br />the area. While they are adequate [or present stands of timber and deep root systems, some program of <br />fertilization including potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus would prove beneficial to revegetation activities <br />involving these soils. Soil analysis indicated a borderline detcienry of potassium in these soils (see <br />F~hibi[ 26). <br />Manoine Unit Number 200; land Tie: Rockland, Sandstone, and Shale -Mapping unit number 200 is a <br />land type in which the soil pattern is extremely variable from area to area. Typically this unit is used to <br />describe the steep and very steeply sloping escarpment-like borders of mesas, but may also occur on the <br />crests and shoulders of ridges and hills. Its soil pattern is the same as That described Cor mapping unit <br />number 1, except that the areas have a significant amount of bare rock outcrop. Rock is usually ledge <br />sandstone but areas of raw shale are included as well. Rock outcrops constitute about 25 to 90 percent of <br />• delineated areas. <br />