Soil Moisture — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

8 % VWC

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

A VSWC below approximately 0.08 m3/m3 (8%) appears to be a critical threshold below which key soil biological activities are substantially reduced.

Metric Definition:

volumetric soil moisture content (VSWC)

Benchmark Definition:

Critical threshold of volumetric soil moisture below which key soil biological activities are substantially reduced, affecting topsoil ecological functions.

Justification:

below which key soil biological activities [such as microbial respiration and litter decomposition] are substantially reduced

Sources (1)

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 Journal

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

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Supporting Sources (20)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress

Contextual Support Government

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress

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

Contextual Support Direct Evidence 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

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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

View Source

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

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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

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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

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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

Evapotranspiration from an Australian tropical savanna.

Contextual Support Journal

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

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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

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,

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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

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

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

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

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

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

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Savanna - Grassland, Climate, Animals | Britannica

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Savanna - Grassland, Climate, Animals | Britannica

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

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

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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

Untitled - UKnowledge, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support

Untitled - UKnowledge, accessed May 14, 2025

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Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 27 May 2026

Notes

Relevant for the grass layer, decomposition, and soil respiration. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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