Soil subgroup
Natrargid ustólico
It is less dry than the typical one: it is close to Ustoles, Molisoles subhumid climate.
What the name says
Soil Taxonomy names are built from parts, and each part says something about the soil. From general to specific:
| Taxonomic order | Aridisol | Soil arid climate: water is lacking most of the year and the profile accumulates what the rain cannot wash away (carbonates, gypsum, salts) or clay from more humid times. |
|---|---|---|
| Suborder | Argid | Aridisol with a clay accumulation horizon, inherited from a more humid past climate. |
| Great group | Natrargid | Within the Argid suborder, it has a natric horizon: accumulation of clay with a lot of exchangeable sodium, which disperses the clay and blocks the passage of water and roots. |
| Subgroup | ustólico | It is less dry than the typical one: it is close to Ustoles, Molisoles subhumid climate. |
What it means for farming
Without irrigation there is no agriculture: they are soils of native woodland, extensive grazing or, with water, irrigated oases (Mendoza, San Juan, the valleys of the NOA).
- Most common surface texture
- Sandy loam
- Most common drainage
- Something Excessive
- Typical effective depth
- 110 cm
Where it is found
According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 2.665.963 ha, spread over 10 districts.
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National map units that list it. The scale is 1:500.000: good for seeing the region, not a single property.
| Province | Area |
|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 2.089.876 ha |
| Río Negro | 300.241 ha |
| Chubut | 272.724 ha |
| Córdoba | 3.122 ha |
Districts where it is most common
How productive it is
Where it is the main soil of the map unit, the productivity index has a median of 56 (Well); half of the units fall between 21 and 56.
Taken from the maps that include this data. A map unit with several soils has a single index, and it is only attributed to the dominant soil.
Other Natrargid subgroups
Soils it shares map units with
Several soils share each map unit. These are the ones most often found alongside this one: on a property, you will likely find them in the nearby low ground or on the next rise.
The definitions are a plain-language summary of the USDA Keys to Soil Taxonomy. The formal definition includes thickness, color and percentage thresholds that are left out here.
Sources
- Soil Survey Staff. (2014). Claves para la Taxonomía de Suelos, 12.ª edición. USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service. · Dominio público (USDA)
- INTA · Dominio público (carta 1:500.000)