Soil Moisture

AUS-TMI-LVG-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 12 to 18 %
Thresholds: Lower: 9, Upper: —
Optimal Range: 12 to 18
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

The benchmark for Loamy Sand soil texture is Field Capacity (FC) at 12 - 18% volumetric %.

Metric Definition:

Volumetric water content of soil at Field Capacity (FC), the maximum amount of water available to plants after drainage.

Benchmark Definition:

Field Capacity (FC) is the volumetric water content of soil after saturation and drainage, representing the optimal water available to plants in Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands under Livestock Grazing & Pasture.

Justification:

This benchmark is derived synthetically due to a lack of direct field measurements for the specified context. The reference value, representing high ecological health, is set at Field Capacity (FC), the optimal state for plant water availability.

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 (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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 Land management for graziers | Business Queensland, accessed August 8, 2025
Land management for graziers | Business Queensland, accessed August 8, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Reducing the impacts of grazing on water quality - EPA Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 9 %. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The functional range includes critical thresholds for ecosystem health and productivity.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-LVG-SMO family.

— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— % Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1