Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TSR-CON-SEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

0.2 dS/m
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 0.2
Direction: Lower 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 10 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 9 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

An EC1:5​ value of 0.2 dS/m can be established as a conservative but scientifically defensible upper detrimental threshold, representing an order-of-magnitude increase over the natural baseline and signaling a transition into a stressed or degraded state.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity measured by the 1:5 soil-to-water extraction method (EC1:5​) in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm).

Benchmark Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold of soil electrical conductivity (EC1:5) indicating ecological stress or degradation.

Justification:

This threshold is based on ecological theory and salinity classifications, representing a level above which native flora and microbial communities are adversely affected.

Sources (1)

Preview of Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data 2013
Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data 2013 Government

Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data 2013

View Source

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Impacts of soil damage by grazing livestock on crop productivity
(PDF) Impacts of soil damage by grazing livestock on crop productivity
Contextual Support Journal

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration | PLOS One - Research journals

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Measuring Soil Salinity - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025
(PDF) Measuring Soil Salinity - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025
Methodology Source Journal

(PDF) Measuring Soil Salinity - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of atlas-scientific.com, accessed July 22, 2025
atlas-scientific.com, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

atlas-scientific.com, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Barron Gorge NP Management Statement 2013 - Parks and forests, accessed July 22, 2025
Barron Gorge NP Management Statement 2013 - Parks and forests, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Barron Gorge NP Management Statement 2013 - Parks and forests, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Daintree Futures Study Final Report to the Wet Tropics Ministerial Council Rainforest CRC Cairns with Gutteridge Haskins and, accessed July 22, 2025
Daintree Futures Study Final Report to the Wet Tropics Ministerial Council Rainforest CRC Cairns with Gutteridge Haskins and, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Ecological impacts of tropical forest fragmentation: how consistent are patterns in species richness and nestedness? - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of Electrical Conductivity - Nature-based Solutions Knowledge Hub, accessed July 22, 2025
Electrical Conductivity - Nature-based Solutions Knowledge Hub, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Electrical Conductivity - Nature-based Solutions Knowledge Hub, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Influence of Environmental Conditions and some Soil Chemical ..., accessed July 22, 2025
Influence of Environmental Conditions and some Soil Chemical ..., accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Influence of Environmental Conditions and some Soil Chemical ..., accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nitrate retention under sugarcane in wet tropical Queensland deep soil profiles, accessed July 22, 2025
Nitrate retention under sugarcane in wet tropical Queensland deep soil profiles, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Nitrate retention under sugarcane in wet tropical Queensland deep soil profiles, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount ... - USDA
Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount ... - USDA
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Electrical Conductivity - Guides for Educators

View Source
Preview of Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount of salts in soil (salinity of - USDA, accessed July 22, 2025
Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount of salts in soil (salinity of - USDA, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount of salts in soil (salinity of - USDA, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Electrical Conductivity | South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, accessed July 28, 2025
Soil Electrical Conductivity | South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, accessed July 28, 2025
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

How salinity is measured - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil electrical conductivity: The complete guide to measurements - METER Group, accessed July 22, 2025
Soil electrical conductivity: The complete guide to measurements - METER Group, accessed July 22, 2025
Methodology Source Government

Soil electrical conductivity: The complete guide to measurements - METER Group, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Health - Electrical Conductivity (EC), accessed July 22, 2025
Soil Health - Electrical Conductivity (EC), accessed July 22, 2025
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Soil Health - Electrical Conductivity (EC), accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soils and Nutrient Cycling - The Tropical Rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025
Soils and Nutrient Cycling - The Tropical Rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soils and Nutrient Cycling - The Tropical Rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Springbrook National Park Facts for Kids, accessed July 22, 2025
Springbrook National Park Facts for Kids, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Springbrook National Park Facts for Kids, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of The impact of deforestation and pasture abandonment on soil properties in the wet tropics of Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,
The impact of deforestation and pasture abandonment on soil properties in the wet tropics of Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support

Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing ..., accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The physical environment of an altitudinal gradient in the rainforest of Lamington National Park, Southeast Queensland - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025
The physical environment of an altitudinal gradient in the rainforest of Lamington National Park, Southeast Queensland - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The physical environment of an altitudinal gradient in the rainforest of Lamington National Park, Southeast Queensland - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025
Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Understanding soil tests for pastures

View Source
Preview of Why are the tropic rainforest soils poor in nutrients? - Quora, accessed July 22, 2025
Why are the tropic rainforest soils poor in nutrients? - Quora, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

What type of soil do rainforests have? - Quora, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of World Heritage Places - Wet Tropics of Queensland - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,
World Heritage Places - Wet Tropics of Queensland - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Vegetation and floristics of a lowland tropical rainforest in northeast Australia - Biodiversity Data Journal, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Vegetation Forest
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

Values above this threshold indicate significant departure from natural conditions, likely due to anthropogenic or environmental stressors. ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:15 UTC: UpperThreshold 0.2 → 0.2 (check: MinAboveOptimalHigh, rationale: Retain the threshold value but move it to UpperThreshold to correctly represent an upper degradation limit. This will auto-correct the form from MinimumOnly to MaximumOnly.) [Auto-corrected BenchmarkForm: MinimumOnly → MaximumOnly] ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:15 UTC: LowerThreshold → (check: MinAboveOptimalHigh, rationale: No change needed to LowerThreshold; it is already null.)

Related Benchmarks

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

0.015 dS/m High
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference · Forest
Point Active v1
— dS/m High
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target · Forest
OptimalRange Active v1