Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

0 %

Range: 0 to 1 %

Optimal Range: 0 to 1

Direction: Lower 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.

Evidence & Context

For the "Littoral Rainforests" ecosystem type, the benchmark value for "Bare Ground" is explicitly stated as 0%.

Metric Definition:

Bare Ground (%)

Benchmark Definition:

The benchmark of 0% represents the 'best available condition' for persistent bare ground in a healthy, stable tropical or subtropical rainforest under conservation management.

Justification:

Confidence is 'High' because this value is strongly supported by fundamental ecological principles: healthy rainforests maximise ground cover (via a continuous leaf litter layer) to protect nutrient-poor soils from erosion and to facilitate rapid nutrient cycling.

Sources (1)

Preview of Guideline SCORING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH - NSW Data, accessed July 22, 2025,

Guideline SCORING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH - NSW Data, accessed July 22, 2025, Journal

Guideline SCORING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH - NSW Data

Supporting Sources (47)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Ecology of Tropical Rain Forests - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

(PDF) Ecology of Tropical Rain Forests - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Ecology of Tropical Rain Forests - ResearchGate

Preview of (PDF) Indicators and protocols for monitoring impacts of formal and informal trails in protected areas - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

(PDF) Indicators and protocols for monitoring impacts of formal and informal trails in protected areas - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Ground cover | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government

Preview of (PDF) TERN AusCover: Delivering Imagery and Services to Industry and Landholders in the Rangelands - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

(PDF) TERN AusCover: Delivering Imagery and Services to Industry and Landholders in the Rangelands - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

ausplotsR: quickstart guide to basic analysis of TERN AusPlots ...

Preview of Amazon rainforest | WWF - Panda.org, accessed July 22, 2025,

Amazon rainforest | WWF - Panda.org, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2

Preview of An assessment of the accuracy of satellite-derived woody and grass foliage cover estimates for Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed July 22, 2025,

An assessment of the accuracy of satellite-derived woody and grass foliage cover estimates for Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

An assessment of the accuracy of satellite-derived woody and grass foliage cover estimates for Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany

Preview of ausplotsR: quickstart guide to basic analysis of TERN AusPlots ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

ausplotsR: quickstart guide to basic analysis of TERN AusPlots ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

Biodiversity Regulation of Ecosystem Services

Preview of Benefits of Leaf Litter for Forest Regeneration - Tunley Environmental, accessed July 22, 2025,

Benefits of Leaf Litter for Forest Regeneration - Tunley Environmental, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant null

www.tunley-environmental.com

Preview of Biodiversity Planning Assessment - Wet Tropics Bioregion Expert ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Biodiversity Planning Assessment - Wet Tropics Bioregion Expert ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Biodiversity Planning Assessment - Wet Tropics Bioregion Expert Panel Report, Version 1.1 - Queensland Government

Preview of Change in ground cover levels - Queensland State of the Environment Report, accessed July 22, 2025,

Change in ground cover levels - Queensland State of the Environment Report, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF

Preview of Contributions of organic matter and nutrients via leaf litter in an urban tropical dry forest fragment - SciELO, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contributions of organic matter and nutrients via leaf litter in an urban tropical dry forest fragment - SciELO, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant Journal

Contributions of organic matter and nutrients via leaf litter in an urban tropical dry forest fragment - SciELO

Preview of Cover-related Remote Sensing Data Products - atlassian, accessed July 22, 2025,

Cover-related Remote Sensing Data Products - atlassian, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Cover-related Remote Sensing Data Products - atlassian

Preview of Disturbance regimes, gap‐demanding trees and seed mass related to tree height in warm temperate rain forests worldwide - PubMed Central, accessed July 22, 2025,

Disturbance regimes, gap‐demanding trees and seed mass related to tree height in warm temperate rain forests worldwide - PubMed Central, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regeneration of complex notophyll vine forest (humid subtropical rainforest) in eastern Australia - a review. - Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Preview of Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2, accessed July 22, 2025,

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC/ARMCANZ)

Preview of Effect of Groundcovers on Reducing Soil Erosion and Non-Point Source Pollution in Citrus Orchards on Red Soil Under Frequent Heavy Rainfall - MDPI, accessed July 22, 2025,

Effect of Groundcovers on Reducing Soil Erosion and Non-Point Source Pollution in Citrus Orchards on Red Soil Under Frequent Heavy Rainfall - MDPI, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Effect of Groundcovers on Reducing Soil Erosion and Non-Point Source Pollution in Citrus Orchards on Red Soil Under Frequent Heavy Rainfall - MDPI

Preview of ENV509 | Module 3: Australian rainforests - an overview - Learnline, accessed July 22, 2025,

ENV509 | Module 3: Australian rainforests - an overview - Learnline, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

ENV509 | Module 3: Australian rainforests - an overview - Learnline, accessed July 22, 2025

$Preview of fractional_cover: Fractional cover based on TERN AusPlots data. in ausplotsR - rdrr.io, accessed July 22, 2025,$

fractional_cover: Fractional cover based on TERN AusPlots data. in ausplotsR - rdrr.io, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source GreyLiterature

fractional_cover: Fractional cover based on TERN AusPlots data. in ausplotsR - rdrr.io, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Gondwana Rainforests of Australia State of Conservation update - April 2020 - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,

Gondwana Rainforests of Australia State of Conservation update - April 2020 - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Gondwana Rainforests of Australia State of Conservation update - April 2020 - DCCEEW

Preview of Ground cover | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 22, 2025,

Ground cover | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

Ground cover | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Healthy Soil and Leaf Litter Layers - Where do most animals live in - Land for Wildlife, accessed July 22, 2025,

Healthy Soil and Leaf Litter Layers - Where do most animals live in - Land for Wildlife, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

Life in the Leaf Litter - American Museum of Natural History

Preview of Landscape Monitoring for Landscape Research | Landscape ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Landscape Monitoring for Landscape Research | Landscape ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Litchfield Savanna SuperSite | Fire Regime Impact | TERN | NT

Preview of Life in the Leaf Litter - American Museum of Natural History, accessed July 22, 2025,

Life in the Leaf Litter - American Museum of Natural History, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Benefits of Leaf Litter for Forest Regeneration - Tunley Environmental

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

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.

Preview of Managing Environmental Impacts of Recreation and Tourism in ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Managing Environmental Impacts of Recreation and Tourism in ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Rainforest Regrowth Benefits - Management Guideline - Queensland Government

Preview of Module 3: Rainforest diversity, disturbance and gap-phase dynamics - Learnline, accessed July 22, 2025,

Module 3: Rainforest diversity, disturbance and gap-phase dynamics - Learnline, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Module 3: Rainforest diversity, disturbance and gap-phase dynamics - Learnline

Preview of Rainforest Regrowth Benefits - Management Guideline - Queensland Government, accessed July 22, 2025,

Rainforest Regrowth Benefits - Management Guideline - Queensland Government, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

State of Wet Tropics 2020–2021

Preview of Rainforests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Rainforests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Rainforests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Rangeland biodiversity assessment using fine scale on-ground survey, time series of remotely sensed ground cover and climate data: an Australian savanna case study - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Rangeland biodiversity assessment using fine scale on-ground survey, time series of remotely sensed ground cover and climate data: an Australian savanna case study - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Cross Reference

Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi‐arid rangelands: Influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Preview of Regeneration of complex notophyll vine forest (humid subtropical rainforest) in eastern Australia - a review. - Botanic Gardens of Sydney, accessed July 22, 2025,

Regeneration of complex notophyll vine forest (humid subtropical rainforest) in eastern Australia - a review. - Botanic Gardens of Sydney, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regeneration of complex notophyll vine forest (humid subtropical rainforest) in eastern Australia - a review. - Botanic Gardens of Sydney, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Rescue and recovery of threatened Wet Tropics species and ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Rescue and recovery of threatened Wet Tropics species and ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Rescue and recovery of threatened Wet Tropics species and ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Research History of Forest Gap as Small-Scale Disturbances in Forest Ecosystems - MDPI, accessed July 22, 2025,

Research History of Forest Gap as Small-Scale Disturbances in Forest Ecosystems - MDPI, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Disturbance regimes, gap‐demanding trees and seed mass related to tree height in warm temperate rain forests worldwide - PubMed Central

Preview of Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite | Atherton Tablelands | QLD - TERN Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,

Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite | Atherton Tablelands | QLD - TERN Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

ASC - DERMOSOLS - Soil Science Australia

Preview of Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi‐arid rangelands: Influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi‐arid rangelands: Influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Cross Reference

Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi‐arid rangelands: Influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

Preview of Seasonal ground cover - Landsat, JRSRP algorithm, Australia Coverage - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 22, 2025,

Seasonal ground cover - Landsat, JRSRP algorithm, Australia Coverage - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

Seasonal ground cover - Landsat, JRSRP algorithm, Australia Coverage - TERN Data Discovery Portal

Preview of Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

The impact of deforestation - The Tropical Rainforest

Preview of State of Wet Tropics 2020–2021, accessed July 22, 2025,

State of Wet Tropics 2020–2021, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Rescue and recovery of threatened Wet Tropics species and ...

Preview of Sustainable campsite management in protected areas: A study of ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Sustainable campsite management in protected areas: A study of ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Sustainable campsite management in protected areas: A study of ..., accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of TERN – Australian Acoustic Observatory | A2O, accessed July 22, 2025,

TERN – Australian Acoustic Observatory | A2O, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

TERN – Australian Acoustic Observatory | A2O

Preview of TERN AusCover Satellite Remote Sensing Data Products - UQ eSpace, accessed July 22, 2025,

TERN AusCover Satellite Remote Sensing Data Products - UQ eSpace, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

TERN AusCover Satellite Remote Sensing Data Products - UQ eSpace

Preview of The ground layer of the rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025,

The ground layer of the rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

The ground layer of the rainforest, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025,

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

View of Efficacy of the Ecosystem Services Approach in Transitioning to Regenerative Agriculture in Australia | Reinvention, accessed July 27, 2025,

Preview of Tropical Rainforest Biome (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note, accessed July 22, 2025,

Tropical Rainforest Biome (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support

Healthy Soil and Leaf Litter Layers - Where do most animals live in - Land for Wildlife

Preview of Tropical rainforests - Geography, accessed July 22, 2025,

Tropical rainforests - Geography, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Tropical rainforests - Geography, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Understorey light environments in a north-east Australian rain forest before and after a tropical cyclone | Journal of Tropical Ecology - Cambridge University Press, accessed July 22, 2025,

Understorey light environments in a north-east Australian rain forest before and after a tropical cyclone | Journal of Tropical Ecology - Cambridge University Press, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Sustainable campsite management in protected areas: A study of ...

Preview of Wet Tropics of Queensland - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed July 22, 2025,

Wet Tropics of Queensland - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Wet Tropics of Queensland - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Wildlife Research - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 22, 2025,

Wildlife Research - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Wildlife Research - CSIRO Publishing

Preview of World Heritage Places - Wet Tropics of Queensland - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,

World Heritage Places - Wet Tropics of Queensland - DCCEEW, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Vegetation and floristics of a lowland tropical rainforest in northeast Australia - Biodiversity Data Journal

Preview of www.tunley-environmental.com, accessed July 22, 2025,

www.tunley-environmental.com, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

www.tunley-environmental.com, accessed July 22, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Vegetation Forest
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 28 May 2026

Notes

The optimal range is 0% to <1% persistent bare ground. This acknowledges that micro-disturbances can exist but that any significant, non-recovering bare patches are undesirable.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-CON-BAR family.