Central Plains Experimental Range NEON (CPER) Soil Descriptions

A--0 to 10 centimeters (0.0 to 3.9 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) broken face, moist; 75 percent sand; 11 percent silt; 14 percent clay; single grain, and weak fine subangular blocky; moderately hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly acid, pH 6.2, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 12N04726

BA--10 to 30 centimeters (3.9 to 11.8 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) broken face, moist; 75 percent sand; 9 percent silt; 16 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; neutral, pH 6.6, pH meter; gradual smooth boundary. Lab sample # 12N04727

Bt1--30 to 54 centimeters (11.8 to 21.3 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) broken face, moist; 60 percent sand; 16 percent silt; 24 percent clay; moderate medium prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky, and moderate medium prismatic parts to moderate coarse angular blocky, and moderate coarse prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky, and moderate coarse prismatic parts to moderate coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 5 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; neutral, pH 7.3, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 12N04728, 12N04733

Bt2--54 to 81 centimeters (21.3 to 31.9 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) broken face, moist; 55 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 31 percent clay; strong coarse prismatic parts to strong coarse angular blocky, and strong coarse prismatic parts to strong medium angular blocky, and strong medium prismatic parts to strong coarse angular blocky, and strong medium prismatic parts to strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout and ; 20 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly alkaline, pH 7.7, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 12N04729

Bk1--81 to 137 centimeters (31.9 to 53.9 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) broken face, moist; 50 percent sand; 20 percent silt; 30 percent clay; weak coarse prismatic parts to moderate coarse subangular blocky, and weak coarse prismatic parts to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent coarse irregular carbonate masses on faces of peds and 2 percent fine threadlike carbonate masses on faces of peds and 1 percent medium irregular carbonate masses on faces of peds; strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.1, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 12N04730

Bk2--137 to 181 centimeters (53.9 to 71.3 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) broken face, moist; 55 percent sand; 23 percent silt; 22 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky, and moderate medium subangular blocky, and moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 2 percent fine threadlike carbonate masses on faces of peds; strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.1, pH meter; abrupt broken boundary. Lab sample # 12N04731

2C--181 to 210 centimeters (71.3 to 82.7 inches); light gray (10YR 7/2) broken face silty clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) broken face, moist; 18 percent sand; 50 percent silt; 32 percent clay; structureless massive; loose, loose, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 2 percent fine threadlike carbonate masses on faces of peds and 1 percent fine irregular carbonate masses on faces of peds; 6 percent nonflat angular very strongly cemented 5 to 20-millimeter sandstone fragments; strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 7.9, pH meter. Lab sample # 12N04737, 12N04732