Soil pH

AUS-TMI-AGR-SPH General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

8 pH
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 8
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 3 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 2 guard(s) constrain the result.

Evidence & Context

A pH above 8.0 (measured in water) is considered detrimental.

Metric Definition:

Soil pH measured in water suspension

Benchmark Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold above which micronutrient availability is severely limited.

Justification:

Improper management leading to high pH causes nutrient deficiencies and reduced crop health.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil pH | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 30, 2025,
Soil pH | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 30, 2025, Government

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab

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Supporting Sources (36)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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(PDF) The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Caritat, P. de, & Cooper, M. (2011). The pH of Australian soils: Field results from a national survey. Soil Research, 49, 172-182.

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ACID SOILS OF THE TROPICS - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

ACID SOILS OF THE TROPICS - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

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AGRICULTURAL AUDIT & LAND USE CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

VEGETATION 0}' LORD HOWE ISLAND - Botanic Gardens of Sydney

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Anna Biesty - Restoring soil health and preventing flooding on the Norfolk coast, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Anna Biesty - Restoring soil health and preventing flooding on the Norfolk coast, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Australia – Sub-tropical – temperate - Earthdive, accessed July 25, 2025,
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Australia – Sub-tropical – temperate - Earthdive

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Preview of Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed May 11, 2025
Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed May 11, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Buffel grass in Queensland's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 13, 2025

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Preview of Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions)

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Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

How should we manage our soils to increase soil carbon?, accessed May 10, 2026

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Preview of Christmas Island National Park - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025,
Christmas Island National Park - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Christmas Island National Park - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025

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Preview of Effects of soil pH on the growth, soil nutrient composition, and rhizosphere microbiome of Ageratina adenophora - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 30, 2025,
Effects of soil pH on the growth, soil nutrient composition, and rhizosphere microbiome of Ageratina adenophora - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation ...

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Preview of How regenerative farming practices are revolutionising biodiversity in agriculture - Institute of Sustainability Studies, accessed July 25, 2025,
How regenerative farming practices are revolutionising biodiversity in agriculture - Institute of Sustainability Studies, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

managing cattle grazing on norfolk island to enhance water quality - MEDIA RELEASE

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Preview of Impacts of human activity on tropical soil quality in relation to future land productivity and biodiversity, May 2008 - Digital Commons @ USF - University of South Florida, accessed July 25, 2025,
Impacts of human activity on tropical soil quality in relation to future land productivity and biodiversity, May 2008 - Digital Commons @ USF - University of South Florida, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence

PACIFIC ATOLL SOILS: CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY AND CLASSIFICATION BY R. J. MORRISON - Smithsonian Institution

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Preview of Land management in horticulture industries | Business Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,
Land management in horticulture industries | Business Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Land management in horticulture industries | Business Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Management and conservation of tropical acid soils for sustainable crop production, accessed July 25, 2025,
Management and conservation of tropical acid soils for sustainable crop production, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Management and conservation of tropical acid soils for sustainable crop production, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Norfolk Island Food Supply, accessed July 25, 2025,
Norfolk Island Food Supply, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island Food Supply, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Norfolk Island, accessed July 25, 2025,
Norfolk Island, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of PACIFIC ATOLL SOILS: CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY AND CLASSIFICATION BY R. J. MORRISON - Smithsonian Institution, accessed July 25, 2025,
PACIFIC ATOLL SOILS: CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY AND CLASSIFICATION BY R. J. MORRISON - Smithsonian Institution, accessed July 25, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

PACIFIC ATOLL SOILS: CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY AND CLASSIFICATION BY R. J. MORRISON - Smithsonian Institution, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 20, 2025,
Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Guide to Erosion and Sediment Control in Urban Areas - NRCS Irrigation ToolBox Home Page

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Preview of Reducing Acidity of Tropical Acid Soil to Improve Phosphorus Availability and Zea mays L. Productivity through Efficient Use of Chicken Litter Biochar and Triple Superphosphate - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025,
Reducing Acidity of Tropical Acid Soil to Improve Phosphorus Availability and Zea mays L. Productivity through Efficient Use of Chicken Litter Biochar and Triple Superphosphate - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Reducing Acidity of Tropical Acid Soil to Improve Phosphorus Availability and Zea mays L. Productivity through Efficient Use of Chicken Litter Biochar and Triple Superphosphate - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - Norfolk FWAG, accessed July 25, 2025,
Regenerative Agriculture - Norfolk FWAG, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Regenerative Agriculture - Norfolk FWAG, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed July 20, 2025,

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Preview of Review of crop‐specific tolerance limits to acidity, salinity, and sodicity for seventeen cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops com - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,
Review of crop‐specific tolerance limits to acidity, salinity, and sodicity for seventeen cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops com - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,
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Review of crop‐specific tolerance limits to acidity, salinity, and sodicity for seventeen cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops com - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Soil Health & Your Wealth - presented by Graeme Sait - Regional Development Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Food System Mapping - Regional Development Australia - Mid North Coast NSW, accessed July 30, 2025,

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Preview of Soil pH - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil pH - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
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Soil pH - Wikipedia, accessed August 11, 2025,

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Preview of Soil pH | Nutrient Management - Mosaic Crop Nutrition, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil pH | Nutrient Management - Mosaic Crop Nutrition, accessed July 25, 2025,
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Soil pH | Nutrient Management - Mosaic Crop Nutrition, accessed July 23, 2025,

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Preview of Spatial variability in soil pH and land use as the main influential factor in the red beds of the Nanxiong Basin, China - PubMed Central, accessed July 25, 2025,
Spatial variability in soil pH and land use as the main influential factor in the red beds of the Nanxiong Basin, China - PubMed Central, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Spatial variability in soil pH and land use as the main influential factor in the red beds of the Nanxiong Basin, China - PubMed Central, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Success in the Face of Adversity – a Nutrition Farming® Testament, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 25, 2025,
The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Soil pH Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base

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Preview of The Role of pH Adjustments in Queensland Soil Health - AHI Gardens, accessed July 25, 2025,
The Role of pH Adjustments in Queensland Soil Health - AHI Gardens, accessed July 25, 2025,
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The Role of pH Adjustments in Queensland Soil Health - AHI Gardens, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of The Soil Health Principles of Regenerative Agriculture - Frantoio Grove, accessed July 25, 2025,
The Soil Health Principles of Regenerative Agriculture - Frantoio Grove, accessed July 25, 2025,
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Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed July 28, 2025

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Preview of The Soils of Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati, Central Pacific: New Information and Comparison with Previous Studies 1 | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
The Soils of Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati, Central Pacific: New Information and Comparison with Previous Studies 1 | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
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The Soils of Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati, Central Pacific: New Information and Comparison with Previous Studies 1 | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

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The Soils of Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati, Central Pacific: New Information and Comparison with Previous Studies1 - ScholarSpace, accessed July 25, 2025,
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The Soils of Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati, Central Pacific: New Information and Comparison with Previous Studies1 - ScholarSpace, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 1 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents the upper limit of pH for sustainable crop production on volcanic soils. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.