Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AKW-FOR-SOC General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

1 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is Point, 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.

Evidence & Context

The analysis concludes that the "best-on-offer" condition for a mature, sustainably managed production forest in this biome is an SOC level of approximately 1.0% in the top 0–10 cm of soil.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) within a highly specific context: production forestry systems operating under best-practice management in Australia's Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available soil organic carbon condition achievable under sustainable production forestry in Australia's Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome.

Justification:

Derived by taking a high-health native karstic woodland reference value of ~1.4% SOC and applying a conservative discount to account for the unavoidable SOC losses and incomplete recovery inherent in a production forestry cycle.

Sources (2)

Preview of Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop

Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop Journal

Full article: A review of the impacts of sustainable harvesting, non-harvest management and wildfire on net carbon emissions from Australian native forests - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 27, 2025

Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 27, 2025 Journal

Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025

Supporting Sources (14)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian ..., accessed July 25, 2025,

(PDF) Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian ..., accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian ..., accessed July 25, 2025

Preview of (PDF) Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of ...

(PDF) Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of ...

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment

Preview of Al-Beidh, S., & Al-Tawaha, A. R. M. (2023). Basic Properties and Mineralogy of Soils and Their Impact on the Growth of Jarrah Forest in Southwestern Australia. Land, 12(6), 1236.

Al-Beidh, S., & Al-Tawaha, A. R. M. (2023). Basic Properties and Mineralogy of Soils and Their Impact on the Growth of Jarrah Forest in Southwestern Australia. Land, 12(6), 1236.

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Characteristics and Fertility of the Unique Jarrah Forest of Southwestern Australia, with Particular Consideration of Plant Nutrition and Land Rehabilitation - MDPI

Preview of Change in Organic Carbon in Forest Plantation Soils in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Change in Organic Carbon in Forest Plantation Soils in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Temperate forests and soils [Chapter 6], accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests Method Proposal - NSW Government, accessed July 25, 2025,

Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests Method Proposal - NSW Government, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework

Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests Method Proposal - NSW Government, accessed July 25, 2025

Preview of Interesting reading - Healthy Forests Foundation, accessed July 25, 2025,

Interesting reading - Healthy Forests Foundation, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Long-term land use change in Australia from native forest decreases ..., accessed July 25, 2025,

Long-term land use change in Australia from native forest decreases ..., accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

Long-term land use change in Australia from native forest decreases ..., accessed July 25, 2025

$Preview of Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 25, 2025,$

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 25, 2025

Preview of Recent advances in studies of soil organic carbon stability in Karst areas - Frontiers, accessed July 25, 2025,

Recent advances in studies of soil organic carbon stability in Karst areas - Frontiers, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Recent advances in studies of soil organic carbon stability in Karst areas - Frontiers, accessed July 25, 2025

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 Direct Evidence Journal

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed July 23, 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 GreyLiterature

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - ResearchGate, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,

Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 26, 2025

Preview of Timber Harvesting in Mountainous Regions: A Comprehensive Review - MDPI, accessed July 24, 2025,

Timber Harvesting in Mountainous Regions: A Comprehensive Review - MDPI, accessed July 24, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Full article: A review of the impacts of sustainable harvesting, non-harvest management and wildfire on net carbon emissions from Australian native forests - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 25, 2025

Preview of Timber Harvesting in Mountainous Regions: A Comprehensive Review - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025,

Timber Harvesting in Mountainous Regions: A Comprehensive Review - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Conservation Agriculture and Soil Organic Carbon: Principles, Processes, Practices and Policy Options - MDPI, accessed July 25, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Conservation Target
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 27 May 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The value of 1.0% represents a "best-on-offer" condition for a mature, sustainably managed production forest.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AKW-FOR-SOC family.