Anthropogenic Influences on American Indian Agricultural Soils of the Southwestern United States Jeffrey Allan Homburg Iowa State University

Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2000 Anthropogenic influences on American Indian agricultural soils of the Southwestern United States Jeffrey Allan Homburg Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Entomology Commons, and the Soil Science Commons Recommended Citation Homburg, Jeffrey Allan, "Anthropogenic influences on American Indian agricultural soils of the Southwestern United States " (2000). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 13904. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/13904 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author dkj not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletkxi. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overiaps. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6' x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. Bell & Howell Information and teaming 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Anthropogenic influences on American Indian agricultural soils of the Southwestern United States by Jeffrey Allan Homburg A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Soil Science (Soil Morphology and Genesis) Major Professor: Dr. Jonathan A. Sandor Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2000 Copyright © Jeffrey Allan Homburg, 2000. All rights reserved. UMI Number 9962820 UMI' UMI Microfomi9962820 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Infomiatlon and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microfonm edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ii Graduate College Iowa State University This is to certify that the Doctoral dissertation of Jeffrey Allan Homburg has met the dissertation requirements of Iowa State University Signature was redacted for privacy. Major Professor Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major Program Signature was redacted for privacy. Fcnme Gr»uate College iii TABLE OF CONTENTS UST OF FIGURES v LIST OF TABLES vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix ABSTRACT xiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Dissertation Organization 5 CHAPTER 2. SOIL INVESTIGATIONS AT A LATE PREHISTORIC 8 AGRICULTURAL COMPLEX IN THE SAFFORD BASIN Abstract 8 Introduction 9 Methods 19 Background Information 23 Soil Mapping Data 23 Previous Soil Testing Data from the Safford Gridded Fields 25 Review of Soil Tests Used in This Study 26 Results and Discussion 30 Soil Morphological Properties and Their Agricultural Implications 30 Physical and Chemical Soil Testing Data 37 Granulometric Tests 48 Soil Moisture: the Cobble-Mulch Effect 49 Some Speculation about Likely Cultivars 52 Summary and Conclusions 53 References 55 Acknowledgements 65 CHAPTER 3. ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES ON ZUNI AGRICULTURAL 67 SOILS OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO Abstract 67 Introduction 68 Background Discussion 76 Background on the Zuni and Runoff Farming 76 Previous Soil Studies of American Indian Farming Systems 80 Rationale for Tests Used in this Study 83 Study Area 86 iv Field and Lab Methods 90 Results and Discussion 96 Soil Classification and Morphology 96 Physical and Chemical Soil Properties 107 Conclusions 127 References 129 Acknowledgements 135 CHAPTER 4. INFLUENCES AND INTERACTIONS AMONG SOILS, 138 PLANTS, AND ANTS IN A SEML\RID LANDSCAPE Abstract 138 Introduction 139 Study Area 141 Background Discussion 144 Materials and Methods 152 Results and Discussion 155 Soil Morphology and Ant Nest Relationships 155 Ant Influences on Physical and Chemical Soil Properties 161 Surficial Ant Nest Morphology, Colony Spacing, and Vegetation 170 Associations Estimated Soil Turnover Rates 175 Ants Influences at the Soil Landscape Scale 177 Summary and Conclusions 179 References 180 Acknowledgements 187 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSIONS 188 APPENDIX A. SOIL PROFILE DESCRIPTIONS 192 APPENDIX B. SOIL DATA FOR ZUNI STUDY 238 APPENDIX C. SKETCH MAPS OF ZUNI FIELDS 248 VITAE 277 V LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1. Rock alignment grids and grid interiors. 17 Figure 2.2. Agricultural terraces and rock alignments. 18 Figure 2.3. Thick petrocalcic horizon exposed in Prospectors Pit 1. 31 Figure 2.4. Shallow petrocalcic horizon below agricultural terraces and rock alignments. 32 Figure 2.5. Argillic horizon in Prospectors Pit 2, surrounded by desert pavement. 34 Figure 2.6. Histograms of soil chemistry, bulk density, and texture data. 41 Figure 3.1. Location of the Zuni Reservation. 70 Figure 3.2. Location of paired (intensive) and unpaired (extensive) fields. 72 Figure 3.3. Photograph of 1930s agricultural fields. 74 Figure 3.4. Floodwater draining into a field during a runoff event. 77 Figure 3.5. Organic-rich sediment delivered to alluvial fan by runoff. 78 Figure 3.6. Photomicrographs of soils from the Sanchez field. 100 Figure 3.7. Comparison of solid and pore volumes, and structural aggregate and 102 pore types in soils of intensive fields. Figure 3.8. A horizon thickness and depth to Bt horizon in intensive and 103 extensive fields. Figure 3.9. Ap/C horizon of abandoned field. Note laminations within plow zone 105 which are indicative of sedimentation after plowing. Figure 3.10. Depth to illuvial clay in Weekoty and Sanchez field. 106 Figure 3.11. Comparison of pH, C, N, and C:N ratios in intensive and extensive 112 fields. Figure 3.12. Comparison of total and available P in intensive and extensive fields. 113 vi Figure 3.13. Comparison of bulk density and soil texture in intensive and extensive 114 fields. Figure 3.14. Scatter plots of organic C versus bulk density for extensive fields. 125 Figure 3.15. Scatter plots of organic C versus silt for extensive fields. 126 Figure 4.1. Aerial photograph of fields. 143 Figure 4.2. Typical ant mound and vegetation clearing of the western harvester ant. 147 Figure 4.3. Ant mound in profile. 158 Figure 4.4. Ant chambers in cross section. 159 Figure 4.5. Photomicrographs of ant chamber, chaff from brome seed, platy 160 structure of clearing, and chamber of associated species. Figure 4.6. Histograms of soil data for mound and off-mound areas. 165 Figure 4.7. Bar graphs of organic carbon, nitrogen, and total and available 166 phosphorus distributions with depth. vii LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1. Previous soil testing results obtained by the University of Arizona. 25 Table 2.2. Soil chemistry and bulk density data for soil profiles. 38 Table 2.3. Particle-size data (%) for soil profiles. 38 Table 2.4. Soil chemistry and bulk density data for grid features, terraces, rock 39 piles, and controls. Table 2.5. Particle-size data (%) for grid features, terraces, rock piles, and controls. 40 Table 2.6. Means (X) and standard deviations (o') for soil chemistry and bulk 42 density tests. Table 2.7. Means (X) and standard deviations (o') for particle-size analysis. 42 Table 2.8. r-Test probabilities of pair-wise comparisons of cultivated and 43 uncultivated soils. Table 2.9. Percent change (+ or -) in weight of lithic material within grids 49 compared to that outside of grids. Table 2.10. Percent change (+ or -) in weight of lithic material in 0-5 cm level 49 compared to 5-10 cm level within and outside of grids. Table 2.11. Relative measures of moisture content within and outside of grids. 51 Table 3.1. Agricultural soil properties analyzed by this study. 87 Table 3.2. Taxonomic soil classification and landform of intensive and extensive 97 fields. Table 3.3. Summary of soil subgroup of intensive and extensive fields. 99 Table 3.4. Soil data for intensive fields. 109 Table 3.5. Mean values of soil data for extensive fields. 111 Table 3.6. Paired /-tests for intensive fields. 115 viii Table 3.7. ANOVA tests for intensive field. 116 Table 3.8. ANOVA tests for extensive fields. 117 Table 3.9. Correlation between chemical and physical soil properties for intensive 123 fields. Table 3.10. Correlation between chemical and physical soil properties for extensive 123 fields. Table 4.1. Color, texture, and structure of principal soil horizons. 156 Table 4.2. Soil data for pedons. 162 Table 4.3. Soil data for mound sector and miscellaneous samples. 163 Table 4.4. Comparison of pH, nutrient concentrations, and physical soil properties for 163 mound and off-mound areas. Table 4.5. Summary of studies that have compared ant mound and reference soils. 167 Table 4.6. Summary of mound and clearing features for active and abandoned 170 colonies. Table 4.7. Ubiquity values for vegetation within 5 m of active and abandoned 171 colonies.

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