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Southwest Plateaus and Plains Range and Cotton Region and Southwestern Prairies Cotton and Forage Region: LRRs I and J

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The Soils of the USA

Part of the book series: World Soils Book Series ((WSBS))

Abstract

The land resource regions (LRRs) I and J encompass much of the southern transition from the forested east to the prairie west. In so doing, the transition is made from udic, to ustic, and in places aridic moisture regimes. Predominant soil orders include Alfisols, Mollisols, and Vertisols. Variation in soil orders is correlated to parent material and vegetation. Mechanisms behind the correlation of Alfisols with oak savannah and in general tree covered versus prairie landscapes as well as the formation of petrocalcic horizons are discussed. Distinctions between different subregions (Major Land Resource Areas) are emphasized, as well as distinctions with some neighboring LRRs.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    To the west of LRR J, in MLRA 80B (LRR H), oak savannah vegetation continues; prairie becomes dominant further to the west in MLRA 78C (LRR H), though even here post oak and shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) may be found on coarser textured soils.

  2. 2.

    A third incursion of the Cretaceous sea is recorded within the Trinity Group between the basal sands of the Trinity and the Glen Rose Limestone.

  3. 3.

    Post oak (Quercus stellata); Blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica); Hickory (Carya sp.)

  4. 4.

    This statement applies to the southern margin of the Edwards. To the north the Balcones represents displacement between different Upper Cretaceous formations, see Baylor Geological Society (1994).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA

    David Emmanuel Ruppert

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  1. David Emmanuel Ruppert
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Correspondence to David Emmanuel Ruppert .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA

    L.T. West

  2. Davis, California, USA

    M.J. Singer

  3. University of Wisconsin – Madison , Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    A.E. Hartemink

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Ruppert, D.E. (2017). Southwest Plateaus and Plains Range and Cotton Region and Southwestern Prairies Cotton and Forage Region: LRRs I and J. In: West, L., Singer, M., Hartemink, A. (eds) The Soils of the USA. World Soils Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41870-4_9

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