Litter Cover — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 70 to 90 %

Thresholds: Lower: 50, Upper: —

Optimal Range: 70 to 90

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: OptimalRange

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 14 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 13 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

Litter Cover (%) 70–90 % Managing heavy stubble loads without compromising the big things (weeds, disease, pests, timeliness and profit!): a decade of stubble management and farming systems experiments High Benchmark Rationale: The 70–90% range represents the best available condition for agricultural cropping systems in this biome, moving beyond minimum erosion control to a state of high ecological function.

Metric Definition:

The proportion of the soil surface covered by plant litter in agricultural cropping systems.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the optimal range of litter cover in agricultural cropping systems within the Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains biome of Australia, indicating a high ecological function and effective erosion control.

Justification:

The 70–90% range represents the best available condition for agricultural cropping systems in this biome, moving beyond minimum erosion control to a state of high ecological function. The lower critical threshold of <50% is based on a strong consensus across multiple state and federal agency guidelines identifying this level as a key inflection point for soil stability. The literature does not support a fixed upper detrimental threshold; very high cover (>90%) risks are manageable and associated with high productivity.

Sources (3)

Preview of Managing heavy stubble loads without compromising the “big things ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Managing heavy stubble loads without compromising the “big things ..., accessed August 4, 2025, Journal

Managing heavy stubble loads without compromising the “big things ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria Government

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 13, 2025,

Preview of NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025,

NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025, GreyLiterature

The impact of artificial watering points on rangeland biodiversity: A review - Ninti One, accessed August 28, 2025

Supporting Sources (16)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of $3.5M national project to examine ways to boost soil organic matter - CSIRO

$3.5M national project to examine ways to boost soil organic matter - CSIRO

Contextual Support Government

$3.5M national project to examine ways to boost soil organic matter - CSIRO, accessed August 28, 2025

Preview of Conservation Agriculture as a Sustainable System for Soil Health: A Review - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Conservation Agriculture as a Sustainable System for Soil Health: A Review - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Evolution of conservation agriculture in summer rainfall areas, accessed July 27, 2025,

Preview of Cover crops improve ground cover in a very dry season - GRDC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Cover crops improve ground cover in a very dry season - GRDC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Cover crops improve ground cover in a very dry season - GRDC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Developments in stubble retention in cropping systems in southern Australia - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,

Developments in stubble retention in cropping systems in southern Australia - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support

Karst | Geoscience Australia, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of FarmLink Research Report 2016 - Maintaining profitable farming ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

FarmLink Research Report 2016 - Maintaining profitable farming ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

FarmLink Research Report 2016 - Maintaining profitable farming ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Global Application of Regenerative Agriculture: A Review of Definitions and Assessment Approaches - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Global Application of Regenerative Agriculture: A Review of Definitions and Assessment Approaches - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regen Ag #5- Increase Diversity in Production Systems - Dirty Clean Food

Preview of Global Application of Regenerative Agriculture: A Review of Definitions and Assessment Approaches - MDPI, accessed July 28, 2025,

Global Application of Regenerative Agriculture: A Review of Definitions and Assessment Approaches - MDPI, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Global Application of Regenerative Agriculture: A Review of Definitions and Assessment Approaches - MDPI

Preview of GRDC Groundcover Article: National blueprint to standardise soil health across Australian agriculture - The Waite, accessed August 4, 2025,

GRDC Groundcover Article: National blueprint to standardise soil health across Australian agriculture - The Waite, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

GRDC Groundcover Article: National blueprint to standardise soil health across Australian agriculture - The Waite, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion - Agriculture Victoria, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Principles of Cover Cropping for Arid and Semi-arid Farming Systems | New Mexico State University - BE BOLD. Shape the Future., accessed July 8, 2025,

Principles of Cover Cropping for Arid and Semi-arid Farming Systems | New Mexico State University - BE BOLD. Shape the Future., accessed July 8, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Managing ground cover in the cropping zone of southern NSW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Land Management - HEALTHY SOILS AUSTRALIA

Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers

Contextual Support Journal

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems - Gulbali Institute - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Stubble Guidelines - AIR EP, accessed August 4, 2025,

Stubble Guidelines - AIR EP, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Benefits of Retaining Stubble - NSW | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Impacts of retained wheat stubble on canola in southern New South Wales, accessed August 13, 2025,

Preview of The effect of stubble on nitrogen tie-up and supply - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

The effect of stubble on nitrogen tie-up and supply - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support

Ground cover monitoring for Australia - DAFF, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 23, 2025

Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 23, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Macroecology of Australian Tall Eucalypt Forests: Baseline Data from a Continental-Scale Permanent Plot Network - PMC, accessed March 27, 2026,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 50%. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are generally better up to natural saturation, with manageable risks at very high cover levels.