Microbial Respiration

AUS-ASC-CON-SMR General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

2 mg CO2/kg/day

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

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.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Basal microbial respiration < 2.0 mg CO2-C kg−1 day−1 indicates low microbial activity and poor soil function.

Metric Definition:

Basal microbial respiration rate measured as mg CO2-C per kg soil per day

Benchmark Definition:

Low basal microbial respiration rate indicating limited microbial activity and poor ecosystem function in Australian alpine soils under conservation land use.

Justification:

Low respiration rates are indicative of stressors such as extreme cold, drought, or low substrate quality leading to poor ecosystem function.

Sources (1)

Preview of Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025, Journal

Soil Organic Matter and Carbon Sequestration

Supporting Sources (48)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Interpreting, measuring, and modeling soil respiration - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

(PDF) Interpreting, measuring, and modeling soil respiration - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Interpreting, measuring, and modeling soil respiration - ResearchGate

Preview of (PDF) Soil warming alters microbial substrate use in alpine soils - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

(PDF) Soil warming alters microbial substrate use in alpine soils - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Lowland plant arrival in alpine ecosystems facilitates a decrease in soil carbon content under experimental climate warming - PubMed Central

Preview of (PDF) Temperature Sensitivity of Microbial Respiration, Nitrogen Mineralization, and Potential Soil Enzyme Activities in Organic Alpine Soils - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

(PDF) Temperature Sensitivity of Microbial Respiration, Nitrogen Mineralization, and Potential Soil Enzyme Activities in Organic Alpine Soils - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - PMC

Preview of (PDF) The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

(PDF) The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Stronger compensatory thermal adaptation of soil microbial respiration with higher substrate availability - PMC

Preview of A Benchmarking Approach to Assess Soil Health - SHI, accessed August 28, 2025,

A Benchmarking Approach to Assess Soil Health - SHI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed July 16, 2025,

Preview of Alpine soils in Australia with reference to conditions in Europe and New Zealand, accessed August 28, 2025,

Alpine soils in Australia with reference to conditions in Europe and New Zealand, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

NSW Department of Primary Industries. (2021). Soil acidity and liming. Soils Guides.

Preview of Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 30, 2025,

Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io

Preview of Contribution of microbial activity and vegetation cover to the spatial distribution of soil respiration in mountains - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contribution of microbial activity and vegetation cover to the spatial distribution of soil respiration in mountains - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Contribution of microbial activity and vegetation cover to the spatial distribution of soil respiration in mountains - Frontiers

Preview of Determining baselines, drivers and trends of soil health and stability in New South Wales forests., accessed August 28, 2025,

Determining baselines, drivers and trends of soil health and stability in New South Wales forests., accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Contribution of microbial activity and vegetation cover to the spatial distribution of soil respiration in mountains - Frontiers

Preview of Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine ..., accessed August 28, 2025,

Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine ..., accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Parra, J. G., et al. 2021. Soil microbial community composition and links to greenhouse gas fluxes in an Australian sub-alpine ecosystem.

Preview of Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - MDPI

Preview of Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - PubMed, accessed August 28, 2025,

Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - PubMed, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Disproportionate CH4 Sink Strength from an Endemic, Sub-Alpine Australian Soil Microbial Community - PubMed

Preview of Disproportionate CH4 sink strength from an endemic, sub-alpine Australian soil microbial community | bioRxiv, accessed August 28, 2025,

Disproportionate CH4 sink strength from an endemic, sub-alpine Australian soil microbial community | bioRxiv, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grazing increased alpine grassland soil respiration rates on the Tibetan Plateau - Frontiers

Preview of Distribution, nature and threats to soils of the Australian Alps: A review - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Distribution, nature and threats to soils of the Australian Alps: A review - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

REPORT ON THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE FUTURE OF CATTLE GRAZING IN THE ALPINE NATIONAL PARK

Preview of extension.missouri.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

extension.missouri.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

extension.missouri.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Five-year measurement data along a 1200 m elevational gradient reveals that global warming increases soil respiration - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Five-year measurement data along a 1200 m elevational gradient reveals that global warming increases soil respiration - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Five-year measurement data along a 1200 m elevational gradient reveals that global warming increases soil respiration - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Global Climate Change Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Stoichiometry in Alpine Ecosystems - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Global Climate Change Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Stoichiometry in Alpine Ecosystems - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Global Climate Change Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Stoichiometry in Alpine Ecosystems - MDPI

Preview of Grazing increased alpine grassland soil respiration rates on the Tibetan Plateau - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Grazing increased alpine grassland soil respiration rates on the Tibetan Plateau - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Full article: Different Responses of Soil Respiration and Its Components to Experimental Warming with Contrasting Soil Water Content - Taylor & Francis, accessed May 10, 2026

Preview of Implications of Climate Change for Australia's National Reserve System - A Preliminary Assessment - DBCA Library, accessed August 28, 2025,

Implications of Climate Change for Australia's National Reserve System - A Preliminary Assessment - DBCA Library, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Determining baselines, drivers and trends of soil health and stability in New South Wales forests.

Preview of Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Respiration - USDA, accessed July 30, 2025,

Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Respiration - USDA, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Respiration - USDA

Preview of Interpreting Soil Health Test Report: A Guide for Missouri Farmers | MU Extension, accessed August 28, 2025,

Interpreting Soil Health Test Report: A Guide for Missouri Farmers | MU Extension, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Interpreting Soil Health Test Report: A Guide for Missouri Farmers | MU Extension

Preview of Lowland plant arrival in alpine ecosystems facilitates a decrease in soil carbon content under experimental climate warming - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025,

Lowland plant arrival in alpine ecosystems facilitates a decrease in soil carbon content under experimental climate warming - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Health Test - How to Interpret Your Results - Government of Prince Edward Island

Preview of Mapping Australia's soil biodiversity - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Mapping Australia's soil biodiversity - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

TERN Surveillance monitoring program: Soil vis-NIR spectral library with accompanying soil measurement data for 367 specimens - CSIRO Data Access Portal

Preview of Microbial activity in alpine soils under climate change | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Microbial activity in alpine soils under climate change | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Distribution, nature and threats to soils of the Australian Alps: A review, accessed May 10, 2026

Preview of Microbial communities and activities in alpine and subalpine soils | FEMS Microbiology Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Microbial communities and activities in alpine and subalpine soils | FEMS Microbiology Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Five-year measurement data along a 1200 m elevational gradient reveals that global warming increases soil respiration - Frontiers

Preview of Microbial community composition explains soil respiration responses to changing carbon inputs along an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient, accessed August 28, 2025,

Microbial community composition explains soil respiration responses to changing carbon inputs along an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Microbial community composition explains soil respiration responses to changing carbon inputs along an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Microbial Functional Responses Explain Alpine Soil Carbon Fluxes under Future Climate Scenarios - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025,

Microbial Functional Responses Explain Alpine Soil Carbon Fluxes under Future Climate Scenarios - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Health Benchmarks 2021 Report_Digital - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture

Preview of Microbial Functional Responses Explain Alpine Soil Carbon Fluxes under Future Climate Scenarios | mBio - ASM Journals, accessed August 28, 2025,

Microbial Functional Responses Explain Alpine Soil Carbon Fluxes under Future Climate Scenarios | mBio - ASM Journals, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support

Microbial Functional Responses Explain Alpine Soil Carbon Fluxes under Future Climate Scenarios | mBio - ASM Journals

Preview of Nitrogen Addition Alleviates Microbial Nitrogen Limitations and Promotes Soil Respiration in a Subalpine Coniferous Forest - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Nitrogen Addition Alleviates Microbial Nitrogen Limitations and Promotes Soil Respiration in a Subalpine Coniferous Forest - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Global Climate Change Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Stoichiometry in Alpine Ecosystems - MDPI

Preview of Nitrogen dynamics in alpine soils of south ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025,

Nitrogen dynamics in alpine soils of south ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Nitrogen dynamics in alpine soils of south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing

Preview of Soil the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia | TERN Australia, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia | TERN Australia, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil respiration–driven CO2 pulses dominate Australia's flux variability

Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO

Preview of Soil condition 2024 | NSW State of the Environment, accessed July 7, 2025,

Soil condition 2024 | NSW State of the Environment, accessed July 7, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil pH | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 11, 2025,

Preview of Soil Health Benchmarks 2021 Report_Digital - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil Health Benchmarks 2021 Report_Digital - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Standard operating procedure for soil respiration rate

Preview of Soil Health Test - How to Interpret Your Results - Government of Prince Edward Island, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil Health Test - How to Interpret Your Results - Government of Prince Edward Island, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil temperature, microbial biomass and enzyme activity are the critical factors affecting soil respiration in different soil layers in Ziwuling Mountains, China

Preview of Soil health: looking for suitable indicators. What should be considered to assess the effects of use and management on soil health? - SciELO, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil health: looking for suitable indicators. What should be considered to assess the effects of use and management on soil health? - SciELO, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing problem soils

Preview of Soil respiration - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil respiration - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Soil respiration - Wikipedia

Preview of Soil respiration and human effects on global grassland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil respiration and human effects on global grassland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support

Grazing increased alpine grassland soil respiration rates on the Tibetan Plateau - Frontiers

Preview of Soil respiration variation along an altitudinal gradient in the Italian Alps: Disentangling forest structure and temperature effects | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed August 28, 2025,

Soil respiration variation along an altitudinal gradient in the Italian Alps: Disentangling forest structure and temperature effects | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil respiration variation along an altitudinal gradient in the Italian Alps: Disentangling forest structure and temperature effects | PLOS One - Research journals

Preview of Soil temperature, microbial biomass and enzyme activity are the critical factors affecting soil respiration in different soil layers in Ziwuling Mountains, China - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil temperature, microbial biomass and enzyme activity are the critical factors affecting soil respiration in different soil layers in Ziwuling Mountains, China - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil respiration rate and its sensitivity to temperature in pasture systems of dry-tropics - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 5, 2025

Preview of Spatial and temporal controls of soil respiration rate in a high-elevation, subalpine forest - nau.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

Spatial and temporal controls of soil respiration rate in a high-elevation, subalpine forest - nau.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Spatial and temporal controls of soil respiration rate in a high-elevation, subalpine forest - nau.edu, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Standard operating procedure for soil respiration rate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Standard operating procedure for soil respiration rate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

Soil Respiration | South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Preview of Stronger compensatory thermal adaptation of soil microbial respiration with higher substrate availability - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Stronger compensatory thermal adaptation of soil microbial respiration with higher substrate availability - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Stronger compensatory thermal adaptation of soil microbial respiration with higher substrate availability - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Structures of Microbial Communities in Alpine Soils: Seasonal and Elevational Effects, accessed August 28, 2025,

Structures of Microbial Communities in Alpine Soils: Seasonal and Elevational Effects, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Structures of Microbial Communities in Alpine Soils: Seasonal and Elevational Effects, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The Role of Microbial Community Composition in Controlling Soil Respiration Responses to Temperature - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus Nutrition of Proteaceae in Severely Phosphorus-Impoverished Soils: Are There Lessons To Be Learned for Future Crops? - PubMed Central

Preview of theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org, accessed on May 29, 2025,

theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org, accessed on May 29, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Conservation in Alpine Catchments - The Kosciuszko Huts Association, accessed August 17, 2025,

Preview of Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing problem soils, accessed August 28, 2025,

Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing problem soils, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 – Tussock grasslands, accessed August 28, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 1 Jun 2026

Notes

Low respiration rates (<2.0 mg CO2-C kg−1 day−1) suggest limited microbial activity and poor soil health in Australian alpine soils. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-CON-SMR family.