Litter Cover — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

50 %

Direction: Higher 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 14 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 13 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

A litter cover of 50% is the absolute minimum threshold. Below this level, the risk of significant soil loss from wind erosion, the dominant erosive force in this biome, increases dramatically.

Metric Definition:

Minimum litter cover (%) required to prevent significant soil loss from wind erosion.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the minimum litter cover percentage needed in arid shrublands and stony plains agricultural crop production areas to prevent significant soil loss from wind erosion.

Justification:

This value is consistently supported by multiple state agricultural departments as the minimum for soil stability.

Sources (1)

Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report, accessed July 12, 2025,

Australia's State of the Forests Report, accessed July 12, 2025, Journal

IN PRAISE OF GROUNDCOVER - Australian Rangeland Society -

View Source

Supporting Sources (13)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

A review of the economics of regenerative agriculture in Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

A review of the economics of regenerative agriculture in Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

View Source

Assessing groundcover | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

Revegetation - International Erosion Control Association

View Source

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

Direct Evidence Journal

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

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Manage ground cover | EverGraze More livestock from perennials, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

Maintain and improve groundcover - Local Land Services

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Mixed Cover Crops for Sustainable Farming - CSIRO Research

Contextual Support Government

Mixed Cover Crops for Sustainable Farming - CSIRO Research

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

Contextual Support Government

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

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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

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

Preview of Seed row placement relative to the previous crop stubble row can harness systems benefits on water repellent sands - CSIRO Publishing

Seed row placement relative to the previous crop stubble row can harness systems benefits on water repellent sands - CSIRO Publishing

Contextual Support Journal

Seed row placement relative to the previous crop stubble row can harness systems benefits on water repellent sands - CSIRO Publishing

View Source

Strategic summer stubble management protects future profitability

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing ground cover on erosion prone soils: Guidelines to follow - Agrisolve

View Source

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems - Gulbali Institute - Charles Sturt University

Contextual Support Journal

The effects of stubble burning and tillage on soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity in Southeastern Australia - ResearchGate

View Source

The effect of plant litter on ecosystem properties in a Mediterranean semi‐arid shrubland

Contextual Support Government

The effect of plant litter on ecosystem properties in a Mediterranean semi‐arid shrubland

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 Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

Below this level, the risk of significant soil loss from wind erosion, the dominant erosive force in this biome, increases dramatically.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASP-AGR-LIT family.