Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Location:Colorado, United States
IUCN Category:III
Area:5,997 acres (2,427 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Website:View website
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:Dfb (Climate: snow; Precipitation: fully humid; Temperature: warm summer)

Ecoregions

Colorado Rockies forests

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 A
  
Share40 %20 %20 %10 %10 %
Soil TypeAlbic LuvisolsOrthic PodzolsLithosolsMollic GleysolsHaplic Chernozems
Topsoil TextureMediumCoarseMediumMediumMedium
Reference Depth100 cm100 cm10 cm100 cm100 cm
DrainageModerately wellSomewhat excessiveImperfectlyPoorModerately well
Available Water Capacity100 m100 m15 mm150 m150 m
Phase 1Stony    
Topsoil Properties
Gravel10 %4 %26 %4 %4 %
Sand37 %85 %43 %38 %22 %
Silt44 %11 %34 %40 %54 %
Clay19 %4 %23 %22 %24 %
USDA TextureLoamLoamy sandLoamLoamSilt loam
Reference Bulk Density1.41 g/cm³1.73 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.35 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.42 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.28 g/cm³1.2 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.82 %2.09 %1.4 %1.74 %2.08 %
PH64.57.66.57
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity53 cmol kg⁻¹98 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹45 cmol kg⁻¹67 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity14 cmol kg⁻¹10 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹17 cmol kg⁻¹23 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation83 %16 %100 %87 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases16.3 cmol kg⁻¹2.5 cmol kg⁻¹15.6 cmol kg⁻¹9.9 cmol kg⁻¹18.6 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate0 %0 %3.9 %0 %0.3 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %1 %4 %2 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel19 %5 % 3 %20 %
Sand33 %84 % 37 %26 %
Silt35 %11 % 35 %52 %
Clay32 %5 % 28 %22 %
USDA TextureClay loamLoamy sand Clay loamSilt loam
Reference Bulk Density1.32 g/cm³1.7 g/cm³ 1.35 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.58 g/cm³1.51 g/cm³ 1.36 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.39 %0.59 % 0.67 %0.89 %
PH6.34.8 77.4
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity56 cmol kg⁻¹63 cmol kg⁻¹ 44 cmol kg⁻¹72 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity21 cmol kg⁻¹4 cmol kg⁻¹ 14 cmol kg⁻¹17 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation89 %23 % 94 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases18.1 cmol kg⁻¹1.6 cmol kg⁻¹ 11 cmol kg⁻¹16.1 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate0 %0 % 0.4 %6.8 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 % 0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %2 % 1 %3 %
Electrical Conductivity0.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-1 0.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-1
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263