Litter Cover

AUS-ASC-LVG-LIT General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

50 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

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 MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

For NSW rangelands, a minimum of 50% total groundcover is considered necessary to protect soil from wind erosion, with levels below this constituting a critical trigger point for degradation.

Metric Definition:

Minimum total groundcover (%) to protect soil from wind erosion and prevent degradation.

Benchmark Definition:

Critical minimum total groundcover percentage to prevent soil erosion and degradation, noting that litter is a key component of total groundcover.

Justification:

Based on general rangeland and pasture management guidelines emphasizing soil protection and pasture health.

Sources (4)

Preview of A review of indicators and methods to assess biodiversity - FAO Knowledge Repository

A review of indicators and methods to assess biodiversity - FAO Knowledge Repository Journal

Comparison of grazed and cleared temperate grassy woodlands in eastern Australia: patterns in space and inferences in time - ResearchGate, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source

Preview of Function Attribute Benchmarks for the Biodiversity Assessment Method: Data audit, compilation and analysis - Environment and Heritage, accessed July 10, 2025,

Function Attribute Benchmarks for the Biodiversity Assessment Method: Data audit, compilation and analysis - Environment and Heritage, accessed July 10, 2025,

Victorian State of the Environment report

View Source

Preview of Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025, Journal

Wood, S. W., et al. (2015). The Ausplots Forest Monitoring Network: Tall eucalypt forests. PLOS ONE.

View Source

Preview of Rehabilitation Field Guide | Australian Alps National Parks, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Rehabilitation Field Guide | Australian Alps National Parks, accessed on May 25, 2025, Journal

A strategy for dealing with invasive species in Australia

View Source

Supporting Sources (7)

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

View Source

Preview of Bryant, W. G. (1971). The effect of grazing and burning on a mountain grassland, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. Journal of the Soil Conservation Service of NSW, 27(4), 211-234.

Bryant, W. G. (1971). The effect of grazing and burning on a mountain grassland, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. Journal of the Soil Conservation Service of NSW, 27(4), 211-234.

Direct Evidence Journal

Bryant, W. G. (1971). The effect of grazing and burning on a mountain grassland, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. Journal of the Soil Conservation Service of NSW, 27(4), 211-234.

View Source

Preview of Eldridge, D. J., Poore, A. G., Ruiz-Colmenero, M., Letnic, M., & Soliveres, S. (2016). Ecosystem structure, function, and composition in rangelands are negatively affected by livestock grazing. Ecological Applications, 26(4), 1273-1283.

Eldridge, D. J., Poore, A. G., Ruiz-Colmenero, M., Letnic, M., & Soliveres, S. (2016). Ecosystem structure, function, and composition in rangelands are negatively affected by livestock grazing. Ecological Applications, 26(4), 1273-1283.

Contextual Support Journal

View Source

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). (2021). Best management practices for temperate perennial pastures in New South Wales.

Direct Evidence Journal

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). (2021). Best management practices for temperate perennial pastures in New South Wales.

View Source

Meat & Livestock Australia. (n.d.). Maintain ground cover. MLA.

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Best Management Practices for Temperate Perennial Pastures in New South Wales, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source

Santamarta, J. (2014). Climate Change and Restoration of Degraded Land. ResearchGate.

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Santamarta, J. (2014). Climate Change and Restoration of Degraded Land. ResearchGate.

View Source

Wimbush, D. J., & Costin, A. B. (1979). Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. I. Tall alpine herbfield. Australian Journal of Botany, 27(6), 741-787.

Contextual Support Journal

Wimbush, D. J., & Costin, A. B. (1979). Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. I. Tall alpine herbfield. Australian Journal of Botany, 27(6), 741-787.

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Superseded
Version 1
Effective From 2 Jun 2026
Effective To 2 Jun 2026

Notes

This threshold refers to total groundcover, not specifically litter cover, but litter is an important component especially when live vegetation cover is low. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-LVG-LIT family.