Table 8.
Summary of soil analyses for soil chemical and physical parameters and detection of Coccidioides DNA in soil and dust samples. A brief site description with indication of dominant vegetation and risk of exposure to the pathogen is indicated, as well.
| Locations | Soil Analyses (Parameter Averages or Ranges) |
Detection of Coccidioides DNA (Both Diagnostic Primer Pairs Agreed) | Environment/Habitat | Exposure Risk | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Description | Soil Chemical Analyses | Soil Physical Analyses | Soil | Dust | Landform | Vegetation | Presumed Risk of Coccidioides Exposure * |
| Lemoore: dominated by agricultural activities, ~6.4 in rainfall, soil types: clay loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, clay, many saline-sodic and alkaline | pH: 7.8–8.1, EC (mS/m3): 1 (winter)–13 (summer), TDS (g/L): 0.4–6.1 (winter–summer), CaCO3 (%): 3.52, high levels of SO42− |
sand (39.7%), silt (53.7%), clay (6.6%) | 9.48% | site 4 (PI-SWERL) | alluvial fans | mostly agricultural fields and orchards, non-native trees, grasses, meadows, few semi-natural areas with Salt Bush and Iodine Bush | low |
| Antelope Acres (west of EAFB): western Mojave Desert, declining agricultural activities, former ranchland, increase in soil disturbance due to renewable energy construction, eroded soils, windy, ~7.4 in rainfall, soil types: coarse sandy loam, loamy sand | pH: 7.1–7.2, EC (mS/m3): <1 (winter–summer), TDS (g/L): <0.1 (winter–summer), CaCO3 (%): 0.05, high levels of K |
sand (63%), silt (32.9%), clay (4.1%) | 11.70% | site 5 (PI-SWERL) | alluvial fans, dry lakes | invasive grasses, rabbit brush, Salt Bush, native and non-native herbs and wildflowers, eroded former farmland and non-vegetated areas (solar ranches) | high, increasing |
| Twentynine Palms: Southern Mojave Desert, semi-disturbed desert, windy, no agriculture, scattered settlements, ~4.4 in rainfall, outcrop associations, loamy sand, coarse loamy sand | pH: 7.5–8, EC (mS/m3): <1 (winter–summer), CaCO3 (%): 0.65, high levels of K and Ca |
29 Palms: sand (66.1%), silt (30.5%), clay (3.4%) | 23.46% | sites 5, 8, 10 (PI-SWERL), sites 7–10 TRAKER | fan aprons, alluvial fans | desert shrub, Creosote, Salt Bush, Joshua Trees, cacti, Desert Oak and pines, few invasive grasses, native and non-native herbs including wildflowers | high |
* Prevalence of positive sites based on samples analyzed.