Lajas Experimental Station NEON (LAJA) Soil Descriptions

Ap--0 to 27 centimeters (0.0 to 10.6 inches); clay, black (10YR 2/1) broken face, moist; strong fine subangular blocky parts to strong medium granular, and strong fine subangular blocky parts to strong coarse granular structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; many medium moderate-continuity interstitial and many fine moderate-continuity interstitial pores; 2 percent distinct pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N02432

ABss--27 to 55 centimeters (10.6 to 21.7 inches); clay, black (10YR 2/1), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular and common fine moderate-continuity vesicular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02433

Bssyz--55 to 83 centimeters (21.7 to 32.7 inches); clay, 75 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and 25 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity vesicular and common very fine moderate-continuity vesicular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 1 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02434

Bkssyz--83 to 107 centimeters (32.7 to 42.1 inches); clay, 90 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and 10 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 5 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine distinct spherical manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 1 percent medium distinct spherical manganese masses throughout and 2 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent fine prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 5 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 5 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; slight effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02435

2Bky--107 to 145 centimeters (42.1 to 57.1 inches); sandy clay, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; medium toughness; moderate penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 10 percent fine prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 10 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 10 percent medium distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout; 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 1 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; slight effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02436

2C--145 to 164 centimeters (57.1 to 64.6 inches); sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; low toughness; moderate penetration resistance; moderate excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 1 percent medium prominent 10Y 4/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 4/6), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent coarse distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout; 1 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; abrupt smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02437

3C--164 to 176 centimeters (64.6 to 69.3 inches); sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; low toughness; low penetration resistance; low excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 1 percent medium prominent 10Y 4/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 4/6), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 10 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; abrupt smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02438

4C--176 to 203 centimeters (69.3 to 79.9 inches); silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (geogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium prominent 10Y 5/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 25 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 10 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions. Lab sample # 14N02439