Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)
Benchmark Value
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 10 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 9 guard(s) constrain the result.
Evidence & Context
The mean EC for the unmined reference sites was 0.03 dS/m, a level explicitly described as "unlikely to impact plant growth". More detailed measurements from three separate transects within the Woodland reference site itself yielded values of 0.03, 0.02, and 0.03 dS/m. This provides a tightly constrained, real-world observed range of 0.02–0.03 dS/m (measured in a standard 1:5 soil:water suspension) for a site in the best available condition.
Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the ability of the soil solution to conduct an electrical current, reported in units of deciSiemens per meter (dS/m).
This benchmark represents the typical soil electrical conductivity range observed in unmined, healthy woodland sites in the temperate semi-arid shrublands and open woodlands biome, indicating conditions unlikely to impact plant growth.
This benchmark is derived from direct field measurements at a 'Woodland' reference site in Western Australia, explicitly selected to represent a healthy, unmined ecosystem in the target biome.
Sources (1)
Research on Soil Management and Conservation - MDPI
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