Basal Area
Benchmark Value
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
Evidence & Context
Based on the data presented in the Henry, Beutel, et al. (2024) meta-analysis, the woody basal area for the long-term grazed control plot at the Fowlers Gap-Emu site is approximately 4.0 m²/ha.
Basal area (BA) is a standard forestry metric that quantifies stand density by summing the cross-sectional area of tree stems at a standardized height (typically 1.3 m) over a given area, expressed as square metres per hectare (m²/ha).
Basal area measures the cross-sectional area of tree stems per hectare, indicating stand density in arid karstic woodlands under livestock grazing. This benchmark represents a sustainable, high-functioning woodland under conservation management.
The benchmark value is derived from the grazed control plot at the Fowlers Gap-Emu site within a comprehensive meta-analysis of Australian rangeland grazing experiments. This site is considered the best available proxy, representing a long-term grazed Acacia-dominated woodland in a comparable arid climate (238 mm mean annual rainfall). Confidence is 'Moderate' as the site is not on karstic soils, but it is the most robust, data-driven value available for a functional, grazed arid woodland.
Sources (1)
Grazing exclusion has nuanced effects on woody carbon stocks across Australian rangelands
View SourceSupporting Sources (4)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
A window of opportunity for climate-change adaptation: easing tree mortality by reducing forest basal area | Request PDF - ResearchGate
View SourceDoes grazing exclusion in Australia's rangelands affect biomass and debris carbon stocks? - CSIRO Publishing, accessed April 29, 2025,
View Source
Method for Rangeland condition monitoring: shrubland - Government of Western Australia
View SourceThresholds of biodiversity and ecosystem function in a forest ecosystem undergoing dieback
View Source