Houston black (soil) explained
Houston black soil extends over 1500000acres of the Texas blackland prairies and is the Texas state soil. The series is composed of expansive clays and is considered one of the classic vertisols.[1]
Houston black soils are used extensively for grain sorghum, cotton, corn, small grain, and forage grasses. In their natural state, they support mostly tall and mid grass prairies of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), with some elm (Ulmus spp.), hackberry (Celtis spp.) and mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) trees.[2] [3] The soil also shrinks and swells with variations in how much water it contains.[4] In the USDA taxonomic system it is designated an "Udic Haplusterts".[5]
See also
References
- Web site: Houston Black -- Texas State Soil . US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service . 2013-02-06.
- Web site: Houston Black Series . National Cooperative Soil Survey . United States Department of Agriculture . 2013-02-06.
- Web site: Houston Black: Proposed State Soil for Texas . US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service . 2010-11-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101008035746/http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/soil/statesoil.html . 2010-10-08.
- Web site: Houston Black -- Texas State Soil. University of Illinois Urban Resources. 2010-11-11.
- Web site: [ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/TX/factsheets/fact_houstonsoil.pdf
What on Earth is Houston Black Soil?
]. US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service . February 2003 . 2010-11-11.