Ustic Haplocalcid

Ustic Haplocalid
Originally uploaded by RanaMuck

This is an example of one of the soils I am mapping. Well most of my soils are similar to this one. It is a Fine-loamy Ustic Haplocalcid.

Thats where you say, "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat are you talking about?!"

I am a soil scientist and basically what I do is map soils. I dig lots of holes and draw lines on a map telling you where different soils can be found.

I'm currently mapping in southwest Wyoming where it is a high desert. The area recieves about 7-9 inches of rain annually and is at a high altitude. The typical plants I see are sage brush, prickly pear cactus, and a variety of pretty little forbs (flowers mostly), bushes, and grasses. I also see quite a few antelope, angus cows (ranchers graze them all over), prairie dogs, and magpies.

The typical soils I see are Ustic Haplocalcids. This is the taxonomic name for the soil. Soils have a naming system just as plants and animals have a taxonomy and naming system. Soil taxonomy is based on climate, moisture, parent material (what a soil is made from), and certain other identifying features that make a soil different.

So lets look at this soil. It only gets 7-9 inches of rain per year. This makes it an Aridisol; basically a soil in an arid place. This puts the "-id" on the end of the name. But since it only gets 7-9 inches of rain its a little drier than your usual arid area. This is why we call it "Ustic." This soil has accumulations of calcium so that is where the "-calci-" part comes in. "Haplo-" is added because it is telling you that it doesn't fit any other available description of a "-calcid".

Seems easy right? Well it can be if the soil is simple like this one! Some soils are quite complicated and sometimes you have to collect lab samples to determine what kind of soil you are looking at. One tool we use is the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy". Go ahead and check that out! It is hundreds of pages long about how you decide what to name a soil. There is certainly too much for one person to know! Luckily, I have the schooling and training to help me focus my search quickly. Something you may find interesting though is the USDA's 12 Orders of Soil Taxonomy poster. This is the 12 families of soils that the US recognises in its soil taxonomy. It tells you a little bit about each of the 12 Soil Orders in a way thats not too complicated and doesn't give you "too much information" like I do!