Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TSW-FOR-SEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.02 dS/m

Thresholds: Lower: 0.02, 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 MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard UpperThreshold Guard

Evidence & Context

The lowest value recorded in the GWW reference dataset was 0.020 dS/m (EC1:5). This value can serve as an empirical lower critical threshold, as it represents the lowest EC measured in a demonstrably functioning and healthy ecosystem.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) measured as the 1:5 soil-to-water suspension (EC1:5)

Benchmark Definition:

The empirical lower critical threshold for soil EC below which nutrient status may be compromised.

Justification:

Represents the lowest EC measured in a healthy functioning ecosystem, indicating critical nutrient depletion below this value.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 30, 2025, Government

Managing soils during and after drought in cropping systems - Fact sheet - Soil CRC

Supporting Sources (24)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed July 11, 2025,

A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,

A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality

Preview of All About Salinity - Environment and Heritage, accessed August 11, 2025

All About Salinity - Environment and Heritage, accessed August 11, 2025

Contextual Support

Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 28, 2025

Preview of Assessing saline areas in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 11, 2025,

Assessing saline areas in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Assessing saline areas in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Australia's Framework of Criteria and Indicators - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025,

Australia's Framework of Criteria and Indicators - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil health and stability monitoring in forests - Natural Resources Commission, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Root Structure and Functioning for Efficient Acquisition of Phosphorus: Matching Morphological and Physiological Traits

Preview of Effect of NaCl on emergence and growth of a range of provenances of Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus populnea, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Acacia salicina - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

Effect of NaCl on emergence and growth of a range of provenances of Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus populnea, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Acacia salicina - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Effect of NaCl on emergence and growth of a range of provenances of Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus populnea, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Acacia salicina - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Effect of Soil Water on Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity and Texture Relationships in a Dryland Field - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Effect of Soil Water on Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity and Texture Relationships in a Dryland Field - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

4 Theoretical Insight on - the Measurement of Soil Electrical Conductivity - USDA ARS, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

URBAN FOREST STRATEGY - Your Say South Perth, accessed July 13, 2025

Preview of management of inland arid and semi-arid woodland ... - DBCA Library, accessed July 12, 2025,

management of inland arid and semi-arid woodland ... - DBCA Library, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

management of inland arid and semi-arid woodland ... - DBCA Library, accessed July 12, 2025,

Preview of Measuring organic carbon in Calcarosols: understanding the pitfalls and complications, accessed July 22, 2025,

Measuring organic carbon in Calcarosols: understanding the pitfalls and complications, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Salinity Explained, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Physiological Responses of Eucalyptus Under Saline Environment. I: Ionic Composition in Selected Salt Tolerant and Salt Sensitive Provenances of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis - Science Alert, accessed July 11, 2025,

Physiological Responses of Eucalyptus Under Saline Environment. I: Ionic Composition in Selected Salt Tolerant and Salt Sensitive Provenances of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis - Science Alert, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

scialert.net, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Predictive Mapping of Electrical Conductivity and Assessment of Soil Salinity in a Western T�rkiye Alluvial Plain - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

Predictive Mapping of Electrical Conductivity and Assessment of Soil Salinity in a Western T�rkiye Alluvial Plain - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Predictive Mapping of Electrical Conductivity and Assessment of Soil Salinity in a Western T�rkiye Alluvial Plain - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Production functions of eucalyptus for the design of saline-drainage water reuse systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Production functions of eucalyptus for the design of saline-drainage water reuse systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Production functions of eucalyptus for the design of saline-drainage water reuse systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Salinity in the Mallee Region | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 11, 2025,

Salinity in the Mallee Region | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Mallee seeps - Eyre Peninsula - Landscape SA, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Salinity: Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Salinity: Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids - USDA ARS, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, BASIC CATIONS AND ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT OF SOILS UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USE PRACTICES IN AKWA IBOM STATE - African - British Journals, accessed July 18, 2025

Preview of Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed May 16, 2025,

Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed May 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

USDA 12

Preview of Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 11, 2025,

Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Top 6 Sustainable Forest Management Techniques, accessed July 11, 2025,

Top 6 Sustainable Forest Management Techniques, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Top 6 Sustainable Forest Management Techniques, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Top 6 Sustainable Forest Management Techniques, accessed July 12, 2025,

Top 6 Sustainable Forest Management Techniques, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Sustaining forest soil quality and productivity [Chapter 3], accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Trees in the landscape, Part 2: Eucalyptus spathulata, accessed July 11, 2025,

Trees in the landscape, Part 2: Eucalyptus spathulata, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Trees in the landscape, Part 2: Eucalyptus spathulata, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of Victorian Ecosystems - Mallee - Viridans Biological Databases, accessed July 11, 2025,

Victorian Ecosystems - Mallee - Viridans Biological Databases, accessed July 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Victorian Ecosystems - Mallee - Viridans Biological Databases, accessed July 11, 2025,

Preview of www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 16, 2025,

www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 16, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

Measuring soil salinity - The Australian Wine Research Institute

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

Values below this level may signal a system that is becoming critically nutrient-depleted. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-FOR-SEC family.