Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

30 %

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 30

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

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 11 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 10 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

Critical Threshold: Bare ground exceeding ~30% typically signifies a significantly increased risk of accelerated erosion and runoff in many temperate grazing landscapes.

Metric Definition:

Percentage of bare ground above which ecological function is significantly impaired.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the critical threshold of bare ground percentage in temperate dry woodlands and native grasslands under livestock grazing, beyond which there is a significantly increased risk of soil erosion and runoff.

Justification:

Evidence from various state and industry guidelines indicates that this threshold is context-dependent but generally falls within a recognizable range for temperate Australia.

Sources (3)

Maintain ground cover | Meat & Livestock Australia Government

Maintain ground cover | Meat & Livestock Australia

View Source

Preview of Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ...

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ... Journal

Land, Water & Wool Planned Grazing Management

View Source

Protecting the land in dry times | Farming in dry conditions | Dry seasons and drought support | Prepare - Agriculture Victoria Government

Protecting the land in dry times | Farming in dry conditions | Dry seasons and drought support | Prepare - Agriculture Victoria

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

On more sensitive sites (steeper slopes, more erodible soils), the critical threshold is significantly lower, with bare ground needing to be maintained below 10-20% to prevent degradation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-LVG-BAR family.