Upton soil?

Question

I have to write a huge essay, and there is nothing on the net about this soil series....need to know all about its texture, nutrient input, etc. Help please....

Answer 1

UPTON SERIES

The Upton series consists of soils that are shallow to a petrocalcic horizon, well drained, and moderately permeable. They formed in calcareous loamy materials. These soils are on nearly level to moderately sloping uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, carbonatic, thermic, shallow Calcic Petrocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Upton gravelly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 5 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; 20 percent hard calcium carbonate pebbles, mostly less than one inch diameter; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

Bk--5 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; common fine roots; 25 percent hard calcium carbonate pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)

Bkm--13 to 21 inches; pinkish white (7.5YR 8/2) caliche; indurated in upper two inches, strongly cemented below; many imbedded limestone pebbles; calcareous, clear smooth boundary. (4 to 36 inches thick)

BCk--21 to 80 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) caliche; very gravelly loamy earth; weakly cemented; 40 percent limestone pebbles, few cobbles and stones.

TYPE LOCATION: Terrell County, Texas; 16.4 miles east of Dryden; at gravel pit, 100 yards south of Cedar Station on U.S. Highway 90.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the soil above the Bkm horizon ranges from 7 to 20 inches. Texture of the fine-earth fraction of the A and Bk horizons ranges from sandy loam to clay loam. The texture varies little between horizons within a given pedon, the fine-earth fraction having a clay content between about 15 and 30 percent, and sand content between 20 and 60 percent. Volume of the coarse fragments, generally of limestone or hardened calcium carbonate pebbles, ranges from 15 to 35 percent. More than 40 percent of the soil mass less than 20 mm consists of limestone fragments and secondary carbonates.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4; moist color values are less than 6.

The Bk horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 2 to 4; moist color values are less than 6.5.

The upper 1 inch or less of the Bkm horizon is laminar and the cementation ranges from strong to indurated, Moh's hardness of 3 to 4.

COMPETING SERIES: These are Bard (NV), Crossen (TX), and Mormon Mesa (NV) series. Similar soils are Cave, Conger, Shumla, Simona, and Zapata series. Bard and Mormon Mesa soils have less than 15 percent clay in the control section and Mormon Mesa soils have petrocalcic horizons thicker than 36 inches. Crossen soils have moist values in the A horizon of 2 or 3. Cave, Goodsprings, and Simona soils have mixed mineralogy. Conger and Zapata soils are moist for longer periods of time, and in addition, Conger soils have mixed mineralogy and Zapata soils have mean annual soil temperatures greater than 72 degrees F. Shumla soils have mixed mineralogy and have higher organic carbon content in the surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on ridges, divides, fans, or foot slopes. Slopes are dominantly 1 to 3 percent but up to 8 percent. The parent material consists of beds of unconsolidated limestone and hardened calcium carbonate coarse fragments several to many feet thick. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 7 to 13 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 60 to 69 degrees F. Frost-free days range from 210 to 240, and elevation ranges from 1,100 to 4,000 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Ector, Hoban, Hodgins, Lozier, Reagan, and Sanderson series. Ector and Lozier soils are thin over hard limestone. Hoban, Hodgins, Reagan and Sanderson soils do not have a petrocalcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is medium on 1 to 3 percent slopes, high on 3 to 5 percent slopes, and very high on 5 to 8 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Almost wholly in rangeland of low carrying capacity. Native rangeland has a sparse cover of shortgrasses such as gramas, tridens, and threeawns and widely spaced creosotebush, cedar, and mesquite.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Texas (MLRA 42) and New Mexico (MLRA 70). The series is extensive.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Terrell County, Texas; 1965.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - 0 to 5 inches. (A horizon)

Calcic horizon - 5 to 13 inches. (Bk horizon). It is not required for the series.

Petrocalcic horizon - 13 to 21 inches. (Bkm horizon)

Answer 2

lol

Answer 3

go down to the local soil conservation service office...their national data base with include Upton soils....a lot of government Ag services are behind times on net services due to budget restrains

Answer 4

It might help if you mentioned which Upton you're referring to.