Altamira soil and landscape
Soil profile of Altamira soil and hayland in an area of Altamira gravelly clay, 2 to 20 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of San Germán Area, Puerto Rico by Jorge L. Lugo-Camacho, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Setting
Landscape: Hills
Landform: Limestone hills
Major uses: Hayland, pasture, and naturalized pastureland
Elevation: 100 to 1,312 feet
Composition
Altamira and similar soils: 85 percent
Dissimilar soils: 15 percent
Typical Profile
Surface layer:
0 to 8 inches—very dark brown gravelly clay
Subsoil:
8 to 14 inches—brown clay that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
Substratum:
14 to 33 inches—very pale brown clay loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
33 to 43 inches—pale brown clay loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
43 to 54 inches—grayish brown loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
54 to 80 inches—very pale brown and grayish brown, stratified, soft limestone bedrock
Minor Components
Dissimilar:
• Costa soils, which have fractured limestone bedrock below a depth of 20 inches
• Pitahaya soils, which have fractured limestone bedrock at a depth of 5 to 14 inches
• La Covana soils, which have a petrocalcic horizon
Similar:
• Guayacán soils, which are in a fine-loamy family
Soil Properties and Qualities
Depth class: Deep
Depth to soft bedrock: 40 to 60 inches
Parent material: Material that weathered from soft limestone bedrock
Surface runoff: Medium
Drainage class: Well drained
Permeability: Moderate
Available water capacity: Very low
Flooding: None
Hazard of water erosion: Moderate
Rock fragments in the surface layer: 5 to 60 percent, by volume, pebbles and cobbles
Shrink-swell potential: Moderate
Natural fertility: Moderate
Content of organic matter in the surface layer: Moderate
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline throughout
Land Use
Dominant uses: Naturalized pastureland
Other uses: Hayland; pasture
Agricultural Development
Cropland
Suitability: Unsuited
Management concerns: Erosion; slope; very low available water capacity
Pasture and hayland
Suitability: Moderately suited
Commonly grown crops: Kleberg’s bluestem
Management concerns: Erosion; slope
Management measures and considerations:
• Erosion is a concern in unprotected areas.
• The moderately steep slopes increase the difficulty of management.
• Including grasses and legumes in the cropping system helps to control further erosion.
• Returning crop residue to the soil helps the soil to retain moisture.
• Overgrazed pastures should be reestablished and then protected from further overgrazing.
Naturalized pastureland
Suitability: Moderately suited
Management concerns: Erosion; slope
Management measures and considerations:
• Erosion is a concern in unprotected areas.
• The moderately steep slopes increase the difficulty of management.
• Overgrazed pastures should be reestablished and then protected from further overgrazing.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/puerto_rico/PR...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ALTAMIRA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Altamira soil and landscape
Soil profile of Altamira soil and hayland in an area of Altamira gravelly clay, 2 to 20 percent slopes. (Soil Survey of San Germán Area, Puerto Rico by Jorge L. Lugo-Camacho, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Setting
Landscape: Hills
Landform: Limestone hills
Major uses: Hayland, pasture, and naturalized pastureland
Elevation: 100 to 1,312 feet
Composition
Altamira and similar soils: 85 percent
Dissimilar soils: 15 percent
Typical Profile
Surface layer:
0 to 8 inches—very dark brown gravelly clay
Subsoil:
8 to 14 inches—brown clay that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
Substratum:
14 to 33 inches—very pale brown clay loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
33 to 43 inches—pale brown clay loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
43 to 54 inches—grayish brown loam that has masses and concretions of calcium carbonate
54 to 80 inches—very pale brown and grayish brown, stratified, soft limestone bedrock
Minor Components
Dissimilar:
• Costa soils, which have fractured limestone bedrock below a depth of 20 inches
• Pitahaya soils, which have fractured limestone bedrock at a depth of 5 to 14 inches
• La Covana soils, which have a petrocalcic horizon
Similar:
• Guayacán soils, which are in a fine-loamy family
Soil Properties and Qualities
Depth class: Deep
Depth to soft bedrock: 40 to 60 inches
Parent material: Material that weathered from soft limestone bedrock
Surface runoff: Medium
Drainage class: Well drained
Permeability: Moderate
Available water capacity: Very low
Flooding: None
Hazard of water erosion: Moderate
Rock fragments in the surface layer: 5 to 60 percent, by volume, pebbles and cobbles
Shrink-swell potential: Moderate
Natural fertility: Moderate
Content of organic matter in the surface layer: Moderate
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline throughout
Land Use
Dominant uses: Naturalized pastureland
Other uses: Hayland; pasture
Agricultural Development
Cropland
Suitability: Unsuited
Management concerns: Erosion; slope; very low available water capacity
Pasture and hayland
Suitability: Moderately suited
Commonly grown crops: Kleberg’s bluestem
Management concerns: Erosion; slope
Management measures and considerations:
• Erosion is a concern in unprotected areas.
• The moderately steep slopes increase the difficulty of management.
• Including grasses and legumes in the cropping system helps to control further erosion.
• Returning crop residue to the soil helps the soil to retain moisture.
• Overgrazed pastures should be reestablished and then protected from further overgrazing.
Naturalized pastureland
Suitability: Moderately suited
Management concerns: Erosion; slope
Management measures and considerations:
• Erosion is a concern in unprotected areas.
• The moderately steep slopes increase the difficulty of management.
• Overgrazed pastures should be reestablished and then protected from further overgrazing.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/puerto_rico/PR...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/A/ALTAMIRA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit: