Soil Potassium

AUS-TSW-LVG-SOK General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

250 mg/kg

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 250

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard CompositeFramework Guard CompositeFramework Guard

Evidence & Context

A Colwell K level of >250 mg/kg is established as the upper detrimental threshold for a livestock grazing system.

Metric Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold of soil potassium above which ecosystem and animal health are harmed.

Benchmark Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold of soil potassium above which ecosystem and animal health are harmed.

Justification:

This threshold is based on documented links between excess soil potassium and metabolic diseases in livestock.

Sources (1)

Preview of Potassium for high-performing pastures

Potassium for high-performing pastures GreyLiterature

Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage

Supporting Sources (35)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

(PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

section 2 water quality in the darwin region - Environment and Natural Resources

Preview of (PDF) Soil potassium—crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

(PDF) Soil potassium—crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Nutrient Cycling in Australian Savannas on JSTOR - DOI

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Crop and Pasture Science - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Dairy effluent — disease and animal health - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 10, 2025

Dairy effluent — disease and animal health - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Dairy effluent — disease and animal health - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

The effect of climate change on pastoralism in the Australian arid and semi-arid rangelands - Nuffield Farming Scholarships, accessed July 29, 2025,

Preview of Effects of Stock Grazing on Biodiversity Values in ... - ACT Government, accessed August 4, 2025

Effects of Stock Grazing on Biodiversity Values in ... - ACT Government, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Yellow Box – Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived ...

Preview of Environmental Protection Works Guideline on Rural Regulated Land Sustainable Grazing Allowable Activity, accessed July 10, 2025

Environmental Protection Works Guideline on Rural Regulated Land Sustainable Grazing Allowable Activity, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework

Sustainable grazing Guideline. Native Vegetation. Allowable Activity.

Preview of Fertilising Pastures - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 10, 2025

Fertilising Pastures - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Fertilising Pastures - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Grass Tetany - Main Street Veterinary Clinic, accessed July 10, 2025

Grass Tetany - Main Street Veterinary Clinic, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grass Tetany - Main Street Veterinary Clinic, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Grass Tetany in Cattle - Local Land Services, accessed July 10, 2025

Grass Tetany in Cattle - Local Land Services, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Grass Tetany in Cattle - Local Land Services, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Great Western Woodlands - Wikipedia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Great Western Woodlands - Wikipedia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Great Western Woodlands - Wikipedia

Preview of How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed August 5, 2025,

How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The Science behind Regenerative Agriculture

Preview of Hypocalcaemia / Milk fever | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 10, 2025

Hypocalcaemia / Milk fever | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Hypocalcaemia / Milk fever | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Livestock Factsheet - Grass Tetany - Victorian Farmers Federation, accessed July 10, 2025

Livestock Factsheet - Grass Tetany - Victorian Farmers Federation, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Livestock Factsheet - Grass Tetany - Victorian Farmers Federation, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete, accessed July 10, 2025

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete

Preview of Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Crop and Pasture Science, accessed July 10, 2025

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Crop and Pasture Science, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Potassium Control of Plant Functions: Ecological and Agricultural Implications - PMC

Preview of Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed August 5, 2025,

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Is tree planting enough? Investigation of soil condition and composition of vegetation and invertebrate assemblages after ecological restoration in agricultural landscapes - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 23, 2025

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NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed August 28, 2025

Preview of POTASSIUM - Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, accessed July 10, 2025

POTASSIUM - Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

POTASSIUM - Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Potassium | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 10, 2025

Potassium | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage, accessed July 10, 2025

Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A review of plantations as a water intercepting land use in South Australia, accessed August 9, 2025

Preview of Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage, accessed July 18, 2025,

Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Potassium for high rainfall pastures - DPIRD's Digital library

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Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Healthy soils and soil test interpretation - North Central Catchment Management Authority

Preview of Potassium: planning and pitfalls | Dairy News Australia, accessed July 10, 2025

Potassium: planning and pitfalls | Dairy News Australia, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Potassium: planning and pitfalls | Dairy News Australia, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Regenerative Grazing Affects Biodiversity - Frontiers, accessed July 10, 2025,

Regenerative Grazing Affects Biodiversity - Frontiers, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Climate change mitigation as a co-benefit of regenerative ranching: insights from Australia and the United States - PMC, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,

Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Maintain and improve groundcover - Local Land Services

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Semi-arid woodlands (shrubby sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 12, 2025, )

Contextual Support Government

Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science

Preview of Soil and plant testing and analysis. FAO Soils Bulletin No. 38/1, accessed July 10, 2025

Soil and plant testing and analysis. FAO Soils Bulletin No. 38/1, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Soil and plant testing and analysis. FAO Soils Bulletin No. 38/1, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

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Preview of Southeast Australia temperate savanna - Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025

Southeast Australia temperate savanna - Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Southeast Australia temperate savanna - Wikipedia

Preview of Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025

Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025

Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

Agriculture Victoria. (2025). Understanding soil tests for pastures. Farm Management.

Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio, accessed July 18, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 1 Jun 2026

Notes

Levels above this threshold cause animal health crises such as grass tetany and milk fever. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-LVG-SOK family.