Niwot Ridge NEON (NIWO) Soil Descriptions

A1--0 to 14 centimeters (0.0 to 5.5 inches); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) broken face loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) broken face, dry; 45 percent sand; 40 percent silt; 15 percent clay; moderate medium granular, and weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 3 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; strongly acid, pH 5.3, pH meter; this horizon is very high in highly decompossed organic matter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N04815

A2--14 to 30 centimeters (5.5 to 11.8 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) broken face loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) broken face, dry; 45 percent sand; 40 percent silt; 15 percent clay; moderate medium granular, and weak fine subangular blocky, and moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 3 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; strongly acid, pH 5.3, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N04816

Bw1--30 to 49 centimeters (11.8 to 19.3 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/3) broken face gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) broken face, dry; 70 percent sand; 22 percent silt; 8 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky, and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 1 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 380 to 600-millimeter granite fragments and 2 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 76 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 20 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; strongly acid, pH 5.4, pH meter; this horizon has a partial stone line that is very gravelly to extremely gravelly in the left side of the pit, it does not show on the right side of the pit; gradual wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N04817

Bw2--49 to 79 centimeters (19.3 to 31.1 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) broken face sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) broken face, dry; 70 percent sand; 22 percent silt; 8 percent clay; weak very coarse subangular blocky, and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; common very fine pores; 1 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 380 to 600-millimeter granite fragments and 2 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 76 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 8 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; strongly acid, pH 5.4, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N04818

2C--79 to 110 centimeters (31.1 to 43.3 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) broken face sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) broken face, dry; 75 percent sand; 17 percent silt; 8 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; 1 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 380 to 600-millimeter granite fragments and 5 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 76 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 7 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.6, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N04819

2(C)/Cr--110 to 200 centimeters (43.3 to 78.7 inches); indurated granite bedrock; This horizon has a good example of the uplift of the granite, gniess, and schist in this area. The paralithic material (Cr) is angled upward in the lower left-hand part of the pit, while the C and Cr material in the right-hand side of the it is relatively horizontal. It was very evident in the pit that the Cr and C material at one point in time was horizontal and connected. Lab sample # 14N04820

2C/(Cr)--110 to 200 centimeters (43.3 to 78.7 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) broken face loamy sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) broken face, dry; 80 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 6 percent clay; 2 percent coarse prominent (7.5YR 6/8) and 3 percent medium prominent (7.5YR 6/8) mottles; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 1 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 380 to 600-millimeter granite fragments and 2 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 76 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 5 percent nonflat subrounded indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.9, pH meter. Lab sample # 14N04820