Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-TCF-AGR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

2.46 %
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

topsoils of Australian apple orchards, representing agricultural land use in parts of the biome, showed an average SOC of 2.46%.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) concentration in agricultural land use within the Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests biome.

Benchmark Definition:

Average Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) concentration of 2.46% in topsoils of Australian apple orchards, representing agricultural land use in the Temperate Coastal Forests & Woodlands biome.

Justification:

Represents SOC levels in agricultural land use within the biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil health indicators for monitoring forest ecological restoration: a critical review | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 7, 2025,
Soil health indicators for monitoring forest ecological restoration: a critical review | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 7, 2025,

Soil health indicators for monitoring forest ecological restoration: a critical review | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (6)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Assessment of soil carbon stores at the farm scale in Tasmania, Australia - IUSS.org
Assessment of soil carbon stores at the farm scale in Tasmania, Australia - IUSS.org
Direct Evidence Journal

Assessment of soil carbon stores at the farm scale in Tasmania, Australia - IUSS.org

View Source
Preview of Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils - ResearchGate
Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of cdn.environment.sa.gov.au
cdn.environment.sa.gov.au
Direct Evidence Journal

cdn.environment.sa.gov.au

View Source
Preview of Land use and management influences on surface soil organic carbon in Tasmania
Land use and management influences on surface soil organic carbon in Tasmania
Direct Evidence

Land use and management influences on surface soil organic carbon in Tasmania

View Source
Preview of ON THE FARM - THE GOOD DIRT - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority
ON THE FARM - THE GOOD DIRT - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority
Direct Evidence

ON THE FARM - THE GOOD DIRT - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority

View Source
Preview of Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

Pasture health kit - Making More From Sheep, accessed August 9, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Coastal Forests & Woodlands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Indicative of SOC levels under agricultural land use in parts of the biome.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TCF-AGR-SOC family.

6.6 % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
Point Active v2
5.68 % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
Point Active v1
1.16 % Low
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
Point Active v1
— % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1
7 % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
Point Superseded v1