Soil Moisture

AUS-AIF-CON-SMO General High confidence

Benchmark Value

43.7 %
Range: 12 to 44 %
Optimal Range: 12 to 44
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

This research reports an average Field Capacity for Grey Vertosols of 43.7% volumetric water content (VWC).

Metric Definition:

Field Capacity (FC) is defined as the amount of soil moisture or water content held in the soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased.

Benchmark Definition:

Field Capacity represents the maximum soil moisture held after excess water drains, indicating the soil's water availability for plants in this arid inland floodplain biome under conservation management.

Justification:

Field Capacity represents the soil profile being fully charged with plant-available water immediately following a flood pulse, which initiates the ecosystem's period of maximum productivity and resilience.

Sources (1)

Preview of Modelling and prediction of soil water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point of dryland cropping soils - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,
Modelling and prediction of soil water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point of dryland cropping soils - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Modelling and prediction of soil water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point of dryland cropping soils - ResearchGate

View Source

Supporting Sources (30)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Are extreme wet periods the key to successful floodplain tree recruitment in the Queensland Murray0Darling Basin?, accessed July 21, 2025
Are extreme wet periods the key to successful floodplain tree recruitment in the Queensland Murray0Darling Basin?, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Are extreme wet periods the key to successful floodplain tree recruitment in the Queensland Murray0Darling Basin?, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, accessed July 21, 2025
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australian Soil Classification edition 3 - CALCAROSOLS
Australian Soil Classification edition 3 - CALCAROSOLS
Contextual Support Government

Soil Characteristics and Management Options | VRO - Victorian Resources Online

View Source
Preview of Channel Country Planned Burn Guideline - Parks and forests, accessed July 21, 2025
Channel Country Planned Burn Guideline - Parks and forests, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Channel Country Planned Burn Guideline - Parks and forests, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section, accessed July 21, 2025
Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress in terrestrial ecosystems, accessed July 21, 2025
Critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress in terrestrial ecosystems, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Uncovering the critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress for European ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia | TERN Australia, accessed July 19, 2025,
Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia | TERN Australia, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Tropical Forests and Grasslands (Savanna) - Soils 4 Teachers, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress, accessed July 21, 2025
Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress, accessed July 21, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Global soil moisture in 'permanent' decline due to climate change - Carbon Brief, accessed July 21, 2025
Global soil moisture in 'permanent' decline due to climate change - Carbon Brief, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Global soil moisture in 'permanent' decline due to climate change - Carbon Brief, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Health of the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025
Health of the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Health of the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Iconic Soils of NSW - Black Vertosol - YouTube, accessed July 21, 2025
Iconic Soils of NSW - Black Vertosol - YouTube, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Iconic Soils of NSW - Black Vertosol - YouTube, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Impact of Water Saturated Soils on Crop and their Effective Crop Reclamation Techniques under Flooded Eco-System, accessed July 21, 2025
Impact of Water Saturated Soils on Crop and their Effective Crop Reclamation Techniques under Flooded Eco-System, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Impact of Water Saturated Soils on Crop and their Effective Crop Reclamation Techniques under Flooded Eco-System, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Impacts of Different Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration for Sustainable Agriculture, accessed July 7, 2025
Impacts of Different Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration for Sustainable Agriculture, accessed July 7, 2025
Contextual Support

Understanding the surface hydrology of the Lake Eyre Basin: Part 10Rainfall | Request PDF, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of National Guidance on Acid Sulfate Soils - Water Quality Australia
National Guidance on Acid Sulfate Soils - Water Quality Australia
Contextual Support Journal

Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

View Source
Preview of Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,
Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Creating a sustainable Murray-Darling - The Nature Conservancy Australia, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Rising temperature depletes soil moisture and exacerbates severe drought conditions across southeast Australia - University of Edinburgh Research Explorer, accessed July 21, 2025
Rising temperature depletes soil moisture and exacerbates severe drought conditions across southeast Australia - University of Edinburgh Research Explorer, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Rising temperature depletes soil moisture and exacerbates severe drought conditions across southeast Australia - University of Edinburgh Research Explorer, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - ACIAR Research, accessed July 7, 2025,
Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - ACIAR Research, accessed July 7, 2025,
Contextual Support

Managing waterlogging in crops - Local Land Services - NSW Government, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 19, 2025,
Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Chapter 18 - Waterlogging and submergence, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 21, 2025
Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil and Crop Management Practices to Minimize the Impact of Waterlogging on Crop Productivity - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Characteristics and Management Options | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 21, 2025
Soil Characteristics and Management Options | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Soil Characteristics and Management Options | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 18, 2025,
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 18, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

Modelling and prediction of soil water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point of dryland cropping soils - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

View Source
Preview of Soil Water - Tas | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 4, 2025,
Soil Water - Tas | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Soil Water - Tas | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

View Source
Preview of South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy - Convention on Biological Diversity, accessed July 21, 2025
South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy - Convention on Biological Diversity, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy - Convention on Biological Diversity, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of supporting sustainable development - risks and impacts of plant ...
supporting sustainable development - risks and impacts of plant ...
Contextual Support Journal

Queensland Murray-Darling Freshwater Biogeographic Province ..., accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of The response of dryland floodplain vegetation productivity to flooding and drying | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025
The response of dryland floodplain vegetation productivity to flooding and drying | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Quantifying Australia's dryland vegetation response to flooding and drought at sub-continental scale | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of The use of remote sensing indices to understand flood0recharged soil moisture impacts on trees in semi0arid floodplains: A review - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025
The use of remote sensing indices to understand flood0recharged soil moisture impacts on trees in semi0arid floodplains: A review - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Review of Water Requirements for Key Floodplain Vegetation for the Northern Basin: literature review and expert knowledge assessment - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 21, 2025
Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Untitled - Northern Territory Government, accessed July 21, 2025
Untitled - Northern Territory Government, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of flooding on seedling establishment in two Australian riparian trees with contrasting distributions; Acacia stenophylla A. Cunn. ex Benth. and Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq. - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of VERTISOLS (VR), accessed July 21, 2025
VERTISOLS (VR), accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

ASC - VERTOSOLS - Soil Science Australia, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The optimal functional range for ecosystem health is 12% - 44% VWC.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-CON-SMO family.

12 % High
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas ยท Conservation Target
MinimumOnly Active v1