Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-TSR-LVG-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

2.5 %

Thresholds: Lower: 2.5, Upper: —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: LowerThreshold

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 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

Considering the high productivity potential of the tropical biome, an SOC level below 2.5-3.0% can be considered a critical threshold where soil health and ecological resilience are likely compromised.

Metric Definition:

Lower critical threshold of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) concentration below which soil health and ecological resilience are compromised in tropical and subtropical pastures.

Benchmark Definition:

Lower critical threshold for SOC indicating impaired soil function in Australia's Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests biome under livestock grazing.

Justification:

Synthesis of evidence suggests SOC below 2.5-3.0% indicates compromised soil health in this biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland: A Review - Australian Banana Growers' Council, accessed July 18, 2025,

Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland: A Review - Australian Banana Growers' Council, accessed July 18, 2025,

(PDF) The impact of deforestation and pasture abandonment on soil ...

Supporting Sources (30)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Total nitrogen levels as a key constraint on soil organic carbon ...

Preview of Allen, D. E., Pringle, M. J., Bray, S. G., Hall, T. J., & Dalal, R. C. (2013). What determines soil organic carbon stocks in the grazing lands of north-eastern Australia? Soil Research, 51(8), 695-706.

Allen, D. E., Pringle, M. J., Bray, S. G., Hall, T. J., & Dalal, R. C. (2013). What determines soil organic carbon stocks in the grazing lands of north-eastern Australia? Soil Research, 51(8), 695-706.

Contextual Support Journal

Grazing management for soil carbon in Australia: A review

Preview of Colodan Soil Report

Colodan Soil Report

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Organic Matter

Preview of Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025

Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Australian Soil Classification edition 3 - CALCAROSOLS

Preview of Effects of grazing on grassland soil carbon: A global review - ResearchGate

Effects of grazing on grassland soil carbon: A global review - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Carbon Sequestration under Pasture in Southern Australia - SAI Platform

$Preview of Estimating the attainable soil organic carbon deficit in the soil fine fraction to inform feasible storage targets and de-risk carbon farming decisions - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research$

Estimating the attainable soil organic carbon deficit in the soil fine fraction to inform feasible storage targets and de-risk carbon farming decisions - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

Contextual Support Government

3- Build and maintain soil nutrients to improve soil fertility and health in all pasture zones

Preview of Flux research infrastructure helps industry monitor agricultural soil carbon sequestration

Flux research infrastructure helps industry monitor agricultural soil carbon sequestration

Methodology Source Government

New methods for measuring and validating soil carbon sequestration - TERN Australia

Preview of Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation

Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation

Contextual Support

Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation

Preview of Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation, accessed July 6, 2025,

Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support

Full article: Comparison of major carbon offset standards for soil carbon projects in Australian grazing lands - Taylor and Francis

Preview of INTRODUCTION TO CARBON FARMING - Queensland Farmers' Federation

INTRODUCTION TO CARBON FARMING - Queensland Farmers' Federation

Contextual Support Journal

INTRODUCTION TO CARBON FARMING - Queensland Farmers' Federation

Preview of Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management

Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management

Contextual Support Journal

Development of a new piosphere in arid chenopod shrubland grazed by sheep. I. Changes to the soil surface. - ResearchGate

Preview of Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 16, 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

Contextual Support Government

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

Preview of Potential for soil carbon sequestration in Northern Australian grazing lands: A review of the evidence, accessed July 30, 2025,

Potential for soil carbon sequestration in Northern Australian grazing lands: A review of the evidence, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Keeping carbon – ensuring soil carbon gains through improved grazing management persist through drought in Australia's tropical and semi-arid grasslands - QUT

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 August 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil carbon monitoring and trends - Department for Environment and Water, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil carbon monitoring and trends - Department for Environment and Water, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government

Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Northern Grazing Lands - FutureBeef, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil Carbon Sequestration in Northern Grazing Lands - FutureBeef, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Carbon Sequestration in Northern Grazing Lands - FutureBeef

Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

final repport - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed July 17, 2025,

Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA

Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA

Contextual Support Journal

Potential for soil carbon sequestration in Northern Australian grazing lands: A review of the evidence

Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA

Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The benefits of soil carbon farming for Australian producers - CarbonLink

Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Spatial distribution of soil microbial activity and soil properties ..., accessed August 13, 2025,

Preview of Soil organic matter and carbon sequestration in pastures - FutureBeef, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil organic matter and carbon sequestration in pastures - FutureBeef, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A farmer's guide to increasing Soil Organic Carbon under pastures - NSW Department of Primary Industries

Preview of Soil organic matter formation, persistence, and functioning: A synthesis of current understanding to inform its conservation and

Soil organic matter formation, persistence, and functioning: A synthesis of current understanding to inform its conservation and

Contextual Support Journal

Plant Nutrition under Climate Change and Soil Carbon Sequestration - MDPI

Preview of Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of The value of soil organic matter and how we can slow its decline under cropping systems: Data from 500 paired-site comparisons - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,

The value of soil organic matter and how we can slow its decline under cropping systems: Data from 500 paired-site comparisons - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Full article: Exploring the barriers to farmer participation in soil carbon projects under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme - Taylor & Francis Online

Preview of TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,

TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water Retention - Oz Soils 4 - UNE, accessed May 11, 2025,

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 Government

Understanding soil tests for pastures

Preview of What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase

What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase

Direct Evidence Journal

What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase

Preview of What determines soil organic carbon stocks in the grazing lands of north-eastern Australia?

What determines soil organic carbon stocks in the grazing lands of north-eastern Australia?

Contextual Support Journal

MACKAY WHITSUNDAY REGION SUSTAINABLE GRAZING GUIDE - WetlandInfo, accessed July 19, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

SOC levels below 1.5% indicate significant degradation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-LVG-SOC family.