Soil Moisture

AUS-TMS-FOR-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 20 to 35 % VWC
Optimal Range: 20 to 35
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.

Evidence & Context

An observed volumetric soil moisture range of 0.20−0.35 m3/m3 (equivalent to 20% - 35%) in the topsoil (e.g., 0–0.5 m depth) during the wet season (typically November to March).

Metric Definition:

volumetric soil moisture content (VSWC)

Benchmark Definition:

Topsoil moisture percentage supporting optimal ecological function and plant resilience in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas under Production Forestry.

Justification:

This range is indicative of non-limiting soil moisture conditions that support high ecological function and plant resilience in healthy Eucalyptus miniata / Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated Tropical Monsoonal Savannas in Australia.

Sources (2)

Preview of (PDF) Review of soil water models with respect to savanna ...
(PDF) Review of soil water models with respect to savanna ... GreyLiterature

Seasonal Patterns in Soil Moisture, Vapour Pressure Deficit, Tree Canopy Cover and Pre-dawn Water Potential in a Northern Australian Savanna, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Evapotranspiration from an Australian tropical savanna.
Evapotranspiration from an Australian tropical savanna. Journal

Victoria Plains Tropical Savanna | One Earth, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (19)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress
(PDF) Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress
Contextual Support Government

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress

View Source
Preview of A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed May 16, 2025
A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025
A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of CosmOz - The Australian Cosmic-ray Soil Moisture Sensor Network - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 16, 2025
CosmOz - The Australian Cosmic-ray Soil Moisture Sensor Network - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 16, 2025
Methodology Source Government

Need soil moisture data? Try a cosmic ray soil moisture sensor | TERN Australia, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas
Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas

View Source
Preview of Environmental controls on the spatial variability of savanna productivity in the Northern Territory, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025
Environmental controls on the spatial variability of savanna productivity in the Northern Territory, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Environmental controls on the spatial variability of savanna productivity in the Northern Territory, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025
Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil moisture as an indicator of growing-season herbaceous fuel moisture and curing rate in grasslands - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Improved forest management - CSIRO, accessed July 12, 2025,
Improved forest management - CSIRO, accessed July 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Ecosystem wicks: Woodland trees enhance water infiltration in a fragmented agricultural landscape in eastern Australia, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Land Ecosystem Atmosphere Program (LEAP) - Howard Springs OzFlux Flux Tower Site - Resources - The University of Western Australia, accessed May 16, 2025
Land Ecosystem Atmosphere Program (LEAP) - Howard Springs OzFlux Flux Tower Site - Resources - The University of Western Australia, accessed May 16, 2025
Methodology Source Government

Howard Springs Flux Data Release 2022_v1 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Land-use changes alter CO2 flux patterns of a tall-grass Andropogon field and a savanna–woodland continuum in the Orinoco lowlands - Oxford Academic, accessed May 16, 2025
Land-use changes alter CO2 flux patterns of a tall-grass Andropogon field and a savanna–woodland continuum in the Orinoco lowlands - Oxford Academic, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Land-use changes alter CO2 flux patterns of a tall-grass Andropogon field and a savanna–woodland continuum in the Orinoco lowlands - Oxford Academic, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Litchfield Savanna BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data ..., accessed May 20, 2025,
Litchfield Savanna BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data ..., accessed May 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Rance, S.J. et al. (2020). Multiple soil element and pH interactions constrain plant performance on tropical soils with a long history of fire. Soil Research, 58(4), 335-345.

View Source
Preview of Litchfield Savanna SuperSite | Fire Regime Impact - TERN Australia, accessed July 24, 2025,
Litchfield Savanna SuperSite | Fire Regime Impact - TERN Australia, accessed July 24, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Land Ecosystem Atmosphere Program (LEAP) - Litchfield Supersite - Resources - The University of Western Australia

View Source
Preview of P.PSH.0823 Final Report - MLA, accessed May 16, 2025
P.PSH.0823 Final Report - MLA, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

P.PSH.0823 Final Report - MLA, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Savanna - Grassland, Climate, Animals | Britannica
Savanna - Grassland, Climate, Animals | Britannica
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Savanna - Grassland, Climate, Animals | Britannica

View Source
Preview of Seasonal litter decomposition and accumulation in north Australian savanna - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025
Seasonal litter decomposition and accumulation in north Australian savanna - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

www.publish.csiro.au, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil health indicators for monitoring forest ecological restoration: a critical review | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 7, 2025,
Soil health indicators for monitoring forest ecological restoration: a critical review | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 7, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australia's State of the Forests Report - updated indicators - DAFF

View Source
Preview of TERN. TERN – Australia's Ecosystem Observatory Network, highlights for 2018-2023.
TERN. TERN – Australia's Ecosystem Observatory Network, highlights for 2018-2023.
Contextual Support Government

Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation BASE Contextual, Soil ..., accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Traditional Owner-led Cultural Burning (Cool Burning) in Australia - Fire Rescue Classifieds, accessed May 16, 2025
Traditional Owner-led Cultural Burning (Cool Burning) in Australia - Fire Rescue Classifieds, accessed May 16, 2025
Contextual Support Government

OzFlux - Sites > Howard Springs - Site Description, accessed May 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Untitled - UKnowledge, accessed May 14, 2025,
Untitled - UKnowledge, accessed May 14, 2025,
Contextual Support

Untitled - UKnowledge, accessed May 14, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Vegetation Forest
  • Season wet season
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 27 May 2026

Notes

Based on data from healthy, native Eucalyptus miniata / E. tetrodonta dominated savannas in the Northern Territory.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-FOR-SMO family.

8 % VWC Low
Production Forestry · Not Stated
MinimumOnly Active v1
10 % VWC Low
Production Forestry · Not Stated · dry season
MinimumOnly Active v1
— % VWC Low
Production Forestry · Not Stated · wet season
OptimalRange Active v1