The Soils of Texas.

The diversity of soils across Texas are as big as the state itself. Owing to dramatic precipitation and temperature gradients, east to west and north to south, respectively, Texas currently has nine of the twelve recognized soil orders within its borders. The Soil Survey Staff recognizes 1472 official soil series generally organized into the following areas: Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains, Southern High Plains, Central Rolling Red Plains, Texas North Central Prairies, Edwards Plateau, Texas Central Basin, Rio Grande Plain, Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Texas Blackland Prairie, Texas Claypan Area, Western Coastal Plain and Flatwoods, Flood Plains, Gulf Coast Prairie, and Gulf Coast Saline Prairie. The Texas state soil is the Houston Black series, a Fine, smectitic, thermic Udic Haplustert. The soils of Texas support many industries critical to the state economy, agricultural chief among them. Many Texas soils feature high natural fertility, though some are impacted by salinity, coarse fragments, or high clay content which limit their effective use for farming. This presentation will provide a general overview of the soils of Texas, showing their diversity in properties and uses throughout the state, with emphasis on soils west of IH-35 which bisects the state north to south.