Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-TSR-CON-SSC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 200 to 500 kPa

Thresholds: Lower: 200, Upper: 500

Optimal Range: 200 to 500

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 6 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 5 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Based on the available evidence, this threshold appears to be in the range of 200-500 kPa.

Metric Definition:

Lower critical threshold range below which soil is too loose for optimal plant growth.

Benchmark Definition:

Lower critical threshold range for soil compaction indicating too loose soil.

Justification:

Evidence from pot-based experiments showing poor root-soil contact below this range.

Supporting Sources (5)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) How the Soil Resistance to Penetration Affects the Development of Agricultural Crops? - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) How the Soil Resistance to Penetration Affects the Development of Agricultural Crops? - ResearchGate

View Source

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

Direct Evidence Government

Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025

Direct Evidence Journal

Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 ...

View Source

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian ...

Direct Evidence Journal

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian ...

View Source

Safflower root and shoot growth affected by soil compaction - SciELO, accessed August 4, 2025,

Direct Evidence

Safflower root and shoot growth affected by soil ... - SciELO Brasil

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Retired
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026
Effective To 24 Mar 2026

Notes

Relevant in disturbed or unconsolidated soil conditions. Retired via Evidence Integrity Review on 2026-03-24 09:41 UTC — all DirectEvidence sources confirmed dead or inaccessible.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-CON-SSC family.