Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-LVG-SEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 0.015 to 0.035 dS/m
Optimal Range: 0.015 to 0.035
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. 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

Proposed Benchmark Reference Value for Soil EC (0-10 cm depth) in AUS-TMS-LVG systems representing best available condition: 15-35 µS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) quantifies the ability of the soil water to transmit an electrical current, primarily influenced by the concentration of dissolved ions originating from salts present in the soil water.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the natural, very low soil electrical conductivity in the surface soils of healthy Tropical Monsoonal Savannas under livestock grazing and pasture land use, indicating minimal soluble salt content.

Justification:

The benchmark range reflects the natural, very low EC of healthy, minimally disturbed TMS, based on reference site data.

Sources (2)

Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 16, 2025,
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 16, 2025, Journal

Litchfield Savanna BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data ...

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Preview of TERN Linked Data, accessed May 13, 2025,
TERN Linked Data, accessed May 13, 2025, Government

TERN Linked Data

View Source

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,
(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support

(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of A Guide To Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC): Description, Importance & Soil EC Maps, accessed May 16, 2025,
A Guide To Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC): Description, Importance & Soil EC Maps, accessed May 16, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government

View Source
Preview of A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,
A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality

View Source
Preview of Balancing production and environmental outcomes in Australia's tropical savanna under global change - ResearchGate, accessed May 13, 2025,
Balancing production and environmental outcomes in Australia's tropical savanna under global change - ResearchGate, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Balancing production and environmental outcomes in Australia's tropical savanna under global change - ResearchGate, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Categories - Electrical Conductivity - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 13, 2025,
Categories - Electrical Conductivity - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

CSIRO. 2022. Boorowa Agricultural Research Station long term trial data.

View Source
Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,
Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed May 13, 2025,
Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed May 13, 2025,
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

TERN. (2019, June 20). Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - AusPlots Methods. TERN Confluence Wiki.

View Source
Preview of Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,
Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed July 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio - MDPI, accessed May 13, 2025,
Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio - MDPI, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and b4 15 N Ratio - MDPI

View Source
Preview of Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed May 13, 2025,
Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

What can electrical conductivity tell us about our soil? - Trace and Save, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,
Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Opportunities for Integrated Ecological Analysis across Inland Australia with Standardised Data from Ausplots Rangelands | PLOS One, accessed May 13, 2025,
Opportunities for Integrated Ecological Analysis across Inland Australia with Standardised Data from Ausplots Rangelands | PLOS One, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Opportunities for Integrated Ecological Analysis across Inland ..., accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,
Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 11, 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 Health | Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA, accessed May 13, 2025,
Soil Health | Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have ..., accessed July 29, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,
Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 13, 2025,
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Impact of tree clearing on soil pH and nutrient availability in grazing systems of central Queensland, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,
Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 16, 2025,
Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,
The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,

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Preview of www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,
www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage, accessed July 28, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. This range encapsulates the lower, consistently observed EC values in the surface soils of healthy, minimally disturbed or reference TMS sites, reflecting very low soluble salt content characteristic of these landscapes.

Related Benchmarks

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

0.075 dS/m High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Active v1
75 µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Retired v5
10 µS/cm Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Superseded v4
10 µS/cm Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Superseded v2
— µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Superseded v2
75 µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Superseded v2
— µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Superseded v1
75 µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Superseded v1
— µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Retired v1
— µS/cm Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Retired v1
75 µS/cm High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
MaximumOnly Retired v1