LOCATION TOSSER UT+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Tosser very gravelly sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium and thick platy structure parting to strong very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; many very fine vesicular and common very fine tubular pores; 35 percent pebbles; moderately calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in thin coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
A2--4 to 10 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 25 percent pebbles; common thin silica coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; moderately calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in thin coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bkq1--10 to 23 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent pebbles; common thin silica coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in thin coatings on the undersides of rocks; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual irregular boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
Bkq2--23 to 37 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine and common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 75 percent pebbles; common thin silica coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; slightly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in moderately thick coatings on the underside of rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
Bkq3--37 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles; thin silica coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; moderately calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in moderately thick coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Box Elder County, Utah; about 6 miles west of Lucin; 1,400 feet south and 1,000 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 14, T. 7 N., R. 19 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Rock fragments range from 35 to 75 percent and clay ranges from 2 to 8 percent in the particle-size control section. Depth to the calcic horizon ranges from 7 to 12 inches.
The mean annual soil temperature at 20 inches is 50 to 53 degrees F. The moisture control section is usually dry, but is moist in some part 25 to 35 percent of the time the soil temperature at 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. It is dry in all parts for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
The A horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 5 moist and chroma of 2 through 4. It is moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline and slightly calcareous or moderately calcareous. Structure platy or subangular block. Consistence is hard to soft and friable to very friable.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is extremely gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly loamy sand and extremely gravelly sand. The B horizon is moderately alkaline or very strongly alkaline and slightly calcareous to strongly calcareous. Some pedons are stratified in the lower part of the particle-size control section. Some pedons have subhorizons of very gravelly loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Threesee(T)(NV) series. Threesee soils have a depth to the calcic horizon that ranges from 14 to 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tosser soils are on dissected fan terraces, bars and beach plains at elevations of 4,500 to 6,200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. These soils formed in mixed alluvium from limestone rhyolite and chert. The average annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 51 degrees F. and the freeze-free period is about 120 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Hiko Peak soils and the Amtoft, Jericho, Smaug and Ursine soils. The Amtoft soils are shallow to bedrock. The Jericho and Ursine soils are shallow to an indurated hardpan layer. The Smaug soils have an aridic moisture regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland. The potential vegetation is black sagebrush, shadscale, and bottlebrush squirreltail.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tosser soils are located in northwest Utah and eastern Nevada. They are of moderate extent. MLRA 28A and 28B.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Box Elder County, Utah - Western Part, 1984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Calcic horizon - the zone from approximately 10 to 60 inches (Bkq1, Bkq2, Bkq3, horizons)
Xerollic feature - the soil moisture regime and the organic carbon content meets the requirements of Xerollic.