Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
Benchmark Value
Scoring Curve
This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.
Evidence & Context
This range reflects the higher storage potential due to greater clay content, based on trends from broader datasets. The upper end acknowledges that water limitation in the arid zone often prevents these soils from reaching their full theoretical capacity.
Indicative healthy SOC range (%) for clayey soils (Vertosols, some Dermosols) in the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome under conservation use.
This benchmark indicates the typical soil organic carbon range for clayey soils in the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome under conservation, reflecting their high clay content and potential for SOC storage limited by water availability.
Based on broader dataset trends and acknowledging water limitation in arid zones.
Sources (1)
The relationship between soil organic carbon and soil surface characteristics in the semi-arid rangelands of southern Australia
View SourceSupporting Sources (2)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Great Western Woodlands, Ground Water Data, 2014 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 10, 2025,
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Is there a critical level of organic matter in the agricultural soils of temperate regions: A review | Request PDF - ResearchGate
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