Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AMR-CON-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1.26 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

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 2 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 1 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard

Evidence & Context

Benchmark Reference Value: A reference value of 1.26% SOC is established for the topsoil (0–10 cm).

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) concentration in the topsoil (0–10 cm) layer under conservation land use in the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the soil organic carbon concentration in the top 10 cm of soil under conservation management in the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome, indicating a healthy and functional ecosystem patch on loamy soils.

Justification:

It is a direct field measurement of total organic carbon from a well-documented study in a comparable Australian semi-arid ecosystem, representing a functional and aspirational target for conservation landscapes.

Sources (1)

The relationship between soil organic carbon and soil surface characteristics in the semi-arid rangelands of southern Australia Journal

The relationship between soil organic carbon and soil surface characteristics in the semi-arid rangelands of southern Australia

View Source

Supporting Sources (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Alice Mulga SuperSite | Soil & Vegetation Monitoring - TERN Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

Great Western Woodlands, Ground Water Data, 2014 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Is there a critical level of organic matter in the agricultural soils of temperate regions: A review | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Contextual Support

Is there a critical level of organic matter in the agricultural soils of temperate regions: A review | Request PDF - ResearchGate

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 4 Jun 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 1 %. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Optimal functional range is 1.0% to 1.5%. The benchmark is most applicable to loamy soils.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-CON-SOC family.