Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 2 to 7 %

Thresholds: Lower: 2, Upper: —

Optimal Range: 2 to 7

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 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

The "Remnant" sites, analogous to the "best-on-offer" reference sites required for this analysis, were found to have a mean percentage of bare ground in the range of 2-7%.

Metric Definition:

Percentage of bare ground in the ground layer of Temperate Grassy Woodlands under conservation management.

Benchmark Definition:

Percentage of bare ground as a measure of ecosystem health in Temperate Grassy Woodlands under conservation management.

Justification:

This range reflects a healthy ecosystem balancing soil stability with the creation of essential niches for forb recruitment and faunal habitat.

Sources (1)

EVALUATION OF RESTORATION: A GRASSY WOODLAND

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Supporting Sources (23)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Determining reference conditions for management and ..., accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

(PDF) Impacts of tree invasion on floristic composition of subtropical grasslands on the Bunya Mountains, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source

Preview of (PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

(PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Fertilisers and the environment - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed May 11, 2025

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A Revegetation Guide for Eucalypt Woodlands - Greening Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australia's Native Vegetation Framework - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025

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Preview of Approved Conservation Advice for the White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Approved Conservation Advice for the White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Conservation Advice for Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion, accessed August 6, 2025

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BioCondition: A condition assessment framework for terrestrial biodiversity in Queensland, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support

Melbourne Water stream network: user's manual - 7 Tree canopy cover, accessed May 19, 2025

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BioCondition: A condition assessment framework for terrestrial biodiversity in Queensland, accessed August 5, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

BioMetric: Vegetation condition benchmarks, short-term review, accessed August 12, 2025,

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BioMetric: Vegetation condition benchmarks, short-term review, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

The importance of temperate woodland in travelling stock reserves ..., accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Determining reference conditions for management and restoration of temperate grassy woodlands: relationships among trees, topsoils and understorey flora in little-grazed remnants - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed August 12, 2025,

Determining reference conditions for management and restoration of temperate grassy woodlands: relationships among trees, topsoils and understorey flora in little-grazed remnants - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Total Nitrogen (3" resolution) - Release 2 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,

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Effects of Stock Grazing on Biodiversity Values in ... - ACT Government, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Yellow Box – Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived ...

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Environmental Stewardship - Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project - Information Booklet - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of Stock Grazing on Biodiversity Values in Temperate Native Grasslands and Grassy Woodlands in SE Australia: A Literature Review - ACT Government, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Eucalypt woodlands Regrowth Benefits - Management Guideline - Queensland Government, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Grassy Eucalypt Woodlands Wiyn Murrup Monitoring Program (2020–2023) - Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

Is there a close association between 'soils' and 'vegetation'? A case study from central western New South Wales, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

How Effective is Plant Cover for Soil Erosion Control? - CID Bio-Science, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

How Effective is Plant Cover for Soil Erosion Control? - CID Bio-Science, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

Lang, D. (1979). Groundcover for pastures. Journal of Soil Conservation NSW.

View Source

Preview of Nationally Threatened Ecological Communities of the Victorian Volcanic Plain: Natural Temperate Grassland & Grassy Eucalypt Woodland - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Nationally Threatened Ecological Communities of the Victorian Volcanic Plain: Natural Temperate Grassland & Grassy Eucalypt Woodland - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Environmental Stewardship - Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project - Information Booklet - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands: a nationally protected ecological community - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands: a nationally protected ecological community - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australia's Native Vegetation Framework - DAFF

View Source

Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

The Impact of Tree Species on Microbial Community Structure and Soil Function on Forest Plantations in the Central Hardwoods Reg, accessed August 10, 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

Restoring Australia's temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support

Restoring Australia's temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source

Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 4, 2025

Direct Evidence Journal

Managing natural areas | City of Gold Coast, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source

Preview of The importance of travelling stock reserves for maintaining high-quality threatened temperate woodlands - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed August 12, 2025,

The importance of travelling stock reserves for maintaining high-quality threatened temperate woodlands - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed August 12, 2025,

Contextual Support

Approved Conservation Advice for the White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland - DCCEEW, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source

Vegetation Assessment Guide - DCCEEW, accessed May 15, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

A Revegetation Guide for Eucalypt Woodlands - Greening Australia, accessed August 12, 2025,

View Source

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Conservation Target
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Retired
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026
Effective To 24 Mar 2026

Notes

A complete lack of bare ground (<2%) can indicate biodiversity suppression from excessive litter, while levels exceeding 30% represent a critical threshold for accelerated soil erosion and severe degradation, based on research indicating a minimum of 70% total groundcover is needed to prevent excessive soil loss. RangeFixup applied 2026-03-22 08:35 UTC: OptimalRangeHigh: 10 → 7; UpperBound: 7 → 10 Retired via Evidence Integrity Review on 2026-03-24 09:41 UTC — all DirectEvidence sources confirmed dead or inaccessible. [Migration] Original wider evidence range: 2 – 10 (retained OptimalRange: 2 – 7)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TGP-CON-BAR family.