Soil Moisture

AUS-TDG-FOR-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 24 to 35 %

Optimal Range: 24 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

Indicative optimal VWC ranges are: Loamy soils: 24–35%.

Metric Definition:

Soil Moisture as Volumetric Water Content (VWC)

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal functional range for soil moisture to maintain ecological health and productivity in temperate dry woodlands and native grasslands under production forestry.

Justification:

Within this range, water is not a limiting factor for key processes like growth, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.

Sources (1)

Preview of Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025, GreyLiterature

URBAN FOREST STRATEGY - Your Say South Perth, accessed July 13, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (24)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Long-term estimates of live above-ground tree carbon stocks and net change in managed uneven-aged mixed species forests of sub-tropical Queensland, Australia" - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

(PDF) Long-term estimates of live above-ground tree carbon stocks and net change in managed uneven-aged mixed species forests of sub-tropical Queensland, Australia" - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Growth rates of Eucalyptus and other Australian native tree species derived from seven decades of growth monitoring - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Preview of (PDF) Woodland habitat structures are affected by both agricultural land management and abiotic conditions - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

(PDF) Woodland habitat structures are affected by both agricultural land management and abiotic conditions - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Woodland habitat structures are affected by both agricultural land management and abiotic conditions - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

A guide to managing Box Gum Grassy Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Soil moisture release curves—What they are. Why you need them. How to use them., accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops

View Source

Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Management Standards and Procedures for timber harvesting operations in Victoria’s State forests

View Source

Preview of Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Contextual Support Journal

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

espace.library.uq.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Annual Research Report - 2021 Sustaining productive - The University of Western Australia, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Evaluating the Relationship Between Vegetation Status and Soil Moisture in Semi-Arid Woodlands, Central Australia, Using Daily Thermal, Vegetation Index, and Reflectance Data - MDPI, accessed July 15, 2025

Evaluating the Relationship Between Vegetation Status and Soil Moisture in Semi-Arid Woodlands, Central Australia, Using Daily Thermal, Vegetation Index, and Reflectance Data - MDPI, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

View Source

Preview of Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Hypothesized overall topsoil disturbance typology in relation to... - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Hypothesized overall topsoil disturbance typology in relation to... - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Munglinup Phytophthora Dieback occurence assessment - EPA WA

Contextual Support Journal

Differential impacts of soil salinity and water logging on Eucalyptus growth and carbon sequestration under mulched vs. unmulched soils in south-western Punjab, India - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 5 – Eucalypt woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 17, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Species distribution and crown decline are associated with ..., accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Soil – the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Wired woodlands signal stress as climate dries - CSIRO, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Soil moisture response to seasonal drought conditions and post‐thinning forest structure, accessed July 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

www.nrc.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF A ... - QUT ePrints, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF A ... - QUT ePrints, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

The researcher's complete guide to soil moisture - METER Group, accessed May 15, 2025,

Methodology Source GreyLiterature

The researcher's complete guide to soil moisture - METER Group, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater

Contextual Support Journal

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a ... - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater | Tree Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater | Tree Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater | Tree Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) The impact of soil disturbance on root development in ..., accessed May 15, 2025

View Source

What is soil moisture? The science behind the measurement - METER Group

Direct Evidence Journal

Irrigation Monitoringwith - Cotton - Texas A&M University, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Word template - blue - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Word template - blue - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

Higher soil moisture up to Field Capacity is considered progressively better for ecosystem health and resilience. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

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