Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AMR-FOR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1.2 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is Point, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Evidence & Context

A value of 1.2% is proposed as a scientifically defensible single-value benchmark.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon concentration in the top 0-10 cm of soil under sustainable production forestry in Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the soil organic carbon concentration expected under best-practice sustainable production forestry management in arid upland soils with loamy texture in the Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Justification:

Derived from proxy data of arid rangelands and afforestation studies, representing a significant improvement over degraded baseline and within climatic and edaphic constraints.

Sources (2)

Preview of (PDF) Drivers of soil organic carbon storage and vertical distribution in Eastern Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,

(PDF) Drivers of soil organic carbon storage and vertical distribution in Eastern Australia, accessed July 22, 2025, Government

Soil respiration–driven CO2 pulses dominate Australia's flux variability

Preview of Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 26, 2025

Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 26, 2025 Journal

Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 30, 2025

Supporting Sources (17)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Total nitrogen levels as a key constraint on soil organic carbon ...

Preview of ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed August 10, 2025,

ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Review of fertiliser use in Australian forestry - Forest & Wood Products Australia

Preview of Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Organic Matter and Carbon Sequestration

Preview of Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Contextual Support Journal

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon and other soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon and other soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Case Study - Soil carbon benefits through reforestation, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil - Rothamsted Repository, accessed July 30, 2025

How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil - Rothamsted Repository, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support

How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil - Rothamsted Repository, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop

Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop

Contextual Support Journal

Full article: A review of the impacts of sustainable harvesting, non-harvest management and wildfire on net carbon emissions from Australian native forests - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Interesting reading - Healthy Forests Foundation, accessed July 25, 2025,

Interesting reading - Healthy Forests Foundation, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed July 30, 2025

$Preview of Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 30, 2025$

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Total soil organic matter and its labile pools following mulga (Acacia aneura) clearing for pasture development and cropping 1. Total and labile carbon - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 30, 2025

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 30, 2025

Methodology Source Journal

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Soil – the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia, accessed July 28, 2025

Soil – the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Bulk density of soil at the woodland and plantation in March 2008 at Castlereagh, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Soil bulk density (g cm-3 ), down the soil profile, in undisturbed... - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil bulk density (g cm-3 ), down the soil profile, in undisturbed... - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Soil Health and Climate Change, accessed July 21, 2025,

Soil Health and Climate Change, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil carbon - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate

Preview of Tamm Review: Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks: A knowledge synthesis - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Tamm Review: Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks: A knowledge synthesis - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Tamm Review: Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks: A knowledge synthesis - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of TERN. TERN – Australia's Ecosystem Observatory Network, highlights for 2018-2023.

TERN. TERN – Australia's Ecosystem Observatory Network, highlights for 2018-2023.

Contextual Support Government

Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation BASE Contextual, Soil ..., accessed July 20, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 4 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Most applicable to loamy soils; lower benchmarks suggested for sandy soils (0.5-0.8%) and higher for clay-rich soils (1.5-2.0%). AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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