Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

50 %

Thresholds: Lower: 10, Upper: 50

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MinimumOnly

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 6 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 5 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The upper detrimental threshold for this indicator is >50% bare ground, where wind erosion risk becomes unacceptable.

Metric Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold for Bare Ground (%) indicating unacceptable wind erosion risk

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the upper detrimental threshold for bare ground percentage, beyond which wind erosion risk becomes unacceptable in temperate semi-arid shrublands and open woodlands under agricultural crop production.

Justification:

There is a strong scientific consensus on the minimum ground cover levels required to protect against erosion. Multiple authoritative sources, including CSIRO and state government agencies, converge on a critical threshold for wind erosion.

Sources (1)

Preview of Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025,

Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025, Government

Management - Mallee Sustainable Farming, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (23)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

'Prospect Pastoral Company' – Against all odds - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

'Prospect Pastoral Company' – Against all odds - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Agricultural groundcover update May 2024 - DPIRD's Digital library

Direct Evidence Journal

Agricultural groundcover update May 2024 - DPIRD's Digital library

View Source

Ian and Di Haggerty | No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Ian and Di Haggerty | No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Love, Humility & Gratitude — A Farming Journey | Sustainable Table, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Love, Humility & Gratitude — A Farming Journey | Sustainable Table, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Managing ground cover in the cropping zone of southern NSW, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ...

Contextual Support Journal

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ...

View Source

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria

Contextual Support Government

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source

Meeting the Australian Wool Growers Bringing the Land Back to Life - Textile Exchange, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Meeting the Australian Wool Growers Bringing the Land Back to Life - Textile Exchange, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Monitoring ground cover: an online tool for Australian regions - eo-data.csiro.au, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Erosion and sediment yields in the Kakadu region of northern Australia - INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES

View Source

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion - Agriculture Victoria, accessed May 11, 2025

View Source

Project Updates – Mixed Cover Crops for Sustainable Farming - CSIRO Research

Contextual Support Government

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers

Contextual Support Journal

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems - Gulbali Institute - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

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

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Restoring the Western Wheatbelt: a case study update - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Restoring the Western Wheatbelt: a case study update - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 8, 2025, )

Contextual Support Journal

Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 8, 2025, )

View Source

Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University

Contextual Support Journal

Shelterbelts for control of wind erosion | Erosion | Soil | Farm management, accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source

The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains

Contextual Support Journal

WA Stubble Retention booklet - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source

Preview of The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025,

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source

Using regenerative farming to enhance biodiversity - Local Land Services, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Using regenerative farming to enhance biodiversity - Local Land Services, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

WESTERN REGION - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ...

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

A system that consistently exhibits Bare Ground > 50% during the high-risk fallow period (summer-autumn) has crossed a critical threshold into a state of degradation and high ecological risk. ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:14 UTC: LowerThreshold → (check: MinAboveOptimalHigh, rationale: Clear the LowerThreshold field to avoid conflicting threshold definitions after moving the value to UpperThreshold.) ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:14 UTC: UpperThreshold → 50 (check: MinAboveOptimalHigh, rationale: The Notes state '>50% bare ground indicates degradation', confirming this is an upper threshold. Moving the value to UpperThreshold will auto-correct the form to MaximumOnly, resolving the MinAboveOptimalHigh contradiction.) ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:14 UTC: LowerThreshold → 10 (check: MinAboveMax, rationale: The Notes state that >50% bare ground indicates degradation, so the 50% value is an upper threshold and should be moved to MaximumOnly. The 10% value from MaximumOnly is a lower threshold and should be assigned here as LowerThreshold. This will auto-correct the form to MinimumOnly.)

Related Benchmarks

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