Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AIF-LVG-SEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1 dS/m

Range: 0.2 to 1 dS/m

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 2

Optimal Range: 0.2 to 1

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MaximumOnly

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 16 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 15 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

A soil with an ECe of less than 1.0 dS/m would be in equilibrium with low-salinity floodwaters, would be well within the international "non-saline" classification, and would be low enough to pose no osmotic stress to the full suite of native floodplain vegetation.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (ECe) in the topsoil (0-30 cm) of the cracking clay soils typical of the biome under best-practice management.

Benchmark Definition:

Benchmark for Soil Electrical Conductivity (ECe) representing a non-saline soil state in equilibrium with low salinity floodwaters.

Justification:

This value is derived from a weight-of-evidence synthesis representing a landscape with a functional water cycle where management practices prevent secondary salinisation.

Sources (1)

Preview of Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,

Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025, Government

Basin Plan water quality targets; Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG 2018/ANZECC 2000); Australia State of the Environment 2021: Inland water

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

Functional Range Interpretation: Lower Boundary not relevant for fertile clay soils; Optimal Range 0.2 – 1.0 dS/m supports healthy native pasture; Upper Detrimental Threshold > 2.0 dS/m marks ecological tipping point to degradation. ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:20 UTC: UpperThreshold 1 → 2 (check: MinAboveMax, rationale: The Notes state that the upper detrimental threshold is > 2.0 dS/m, so the MaximumOnly UpperThreshold should be 2.0, not 1.0.)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-LVG-SEC family.