Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TSW-AGR-SEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.5 dS/m

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 24 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 23 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

Proposed Benchmark Value: The reference value of < 0.50 dS/m (ECe) is proposed as the benchmark for high environmental health in this context.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) measured as ECe (saturated paste extract)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available condition for high environmental health in agricultural crop production in Australia's Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands.

Justification:

This value is selected because it is explicitly labeled as "Ideal" in a reputable, government-supported agricultural guide. It represents a state where salinity poses a negligible threat to plant growth and soil function. This quantitative target aligns perfectly with the qualitative evidence from successful regenerative systems in the WA Wheatbelt, which must maintain low salinity to support their biologically-driven nutrient cycles and avoid the legacy issue of dryland salinity.

Sources (2)

Soil Health Assessment - Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA, accessed August 5, 2025, Government

Soil Health Assessment - Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA

View Source

Preview of Which material can be used to reduce electrical conductivity of soil? And what are the disadvantages when electrical conductivity of soil increases ? | ResearchGate, accessed July 9, 2025,

Which material can be used to reduce electrical conductivity of soil? And what are the disadvantages when electrical conductivity of soil increases ? | ResearchGate, accessed July 9, 2025, GreyLiterature

UNDERSTANDING YOUR STEP BY STEP Cath Botta - Goulburn ...

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Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

NCC: Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health - Wet Tropics Plan, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount ... - USDA

Contextual Support Journal

NRCS USDA. 2014. Soil Electrical Conductivity - Guides for Educators.

View Source

Stream-salinity-status-and-trends-in-south-west-WA.pdf - Government of Western Australia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Salinity in Australia - Wikipedia

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Superseded
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026
Effective To 21 Mar 2026

Notes

This benchmark represents the best available condition for high environmental health in agricultural crop production in Australia's Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-AGR-SEC family.