Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-TSR-FOR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 2.7 to 6.4 %
Optimal Range: 2.7 to 6.4
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: OptimalRange

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

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The optimal range is defined as 2.7% to 6.4% SOC in the 0–10 cm soil layer.

Metric Definition:

Optimal functional range of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) for ecological health and sustainable production.

Benchmark Definition:

Range of Soil Organic Carbon concentrations indicating functionally stable and ecologically healthy soil conditions in production forestry on tropical and subtropical rainforest soils.

Justification:

Integrates lower critical threshold and best available condition to guide sustainable management.

Sources (2)

Preview of (PDF) Using active fractions of soil organic matter as indicators of ..., accessed July 19, 2025
(PDF) Using active fractions of soil organic matter as indicators of ..., accessed July 19, 2025 GreyLiterature

Using active fractions of soil organic matter as indicators of ...

View Source
Preview of Soil Aggregates and Associated Organic Matter under Conventional Tillage, No-Tillage, and Forest Succession after Three Decades - Our journal portfolio - PLOS, accessed July 19, 2025
Soil Aggregates and Associated Organic Matter under Conventional Tillage, No-Tillage, and Forest Succession after Three Decades - Our journal portfolio - PLOS, accessed July 19, 2025 Journal

(PDF) Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia

View Source

Supporting Sources (32)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of aggregate stability and soil organic carbon relationship in some soils under different cropping patterns - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025
aggregate stability and soil organic carbon relationship in some soils under different cropping patterns - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

aggregate stability and soil organic carbon relationship in some soils under different cropping patterns - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of ASC - KANDOSOLS - Soil Science Australia, accessed July 19, 2025
ASC - KANDOSOLS - Soil Science Australia, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Trade-off between 'new' SOC stabilisation from above-ground inputs and priming of native C as determined by soil type and residue placement - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australian Journal of Soil Research - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Australian Journal of Soil Research - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Journal of Soil Research - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australian Journal of Soil Research, accessed July 19, 2025
Australian Journal of Soil Research, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Journal of Soil Research, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralization in Relation to Soil Particle-Size Fractions after 32 Years of Chemical and Manure Application in a Continuous Maize Cropping System, accessed July 19, 2025
Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralization in Relation to Soil Particle-Size Fractions after 32 Years of Chemical and Manure Application in a Continuous Maize Cropping System, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 19, 2025
Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 19, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Is there any optimum range for organic carbon found in tropical soils ..., accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Carbon storage in a Ferrosol under subtropical rainforest, tree plantations, and pasture is linked to soil aggregation - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Carbon storage in a Ferrosol under subtropical rainforest, tree plantations, and pasture is linked to soil aggregation - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Carbon storage in a Ferrosol under subtropical rainforest, tree plantations, and pasture is linked to soil aggregation - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Change in Organic Carbon in Forest Plantation Soils in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
Change in Organic Carbon in Forest Plantation Soils in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Temperate forests and soils [Chapter 6], accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon Saturation Deficit ..., accessed July 19, 2025
Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon Saturation Deficit ..., accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon Saturation Deficit ..., accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025
Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Sodic & Alkaline Soil - Soil Quality Knowledge Base

View Source
Preview of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025
Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 ...

View Source
Preview of Effects of crop and pasture rotations and surface cover on rainfall infiltration on a Kandosol in south-west Queensland - ResearchGate
Effects of crop and pasture rotations and surface cover on rainfall infiltration on a Kandosol in south-west Queensland - ResearchGate
Contextual Support

Effects of crop and pasture rotations and surface cover on rainfall infiltration on a Kandosol in south-west Queensland - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Full article: Assessing the impact of ecological forest restoration on soil carbon stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 19, 2025
Full article: Assessing the impact of ecological forest restoration on soil carbon stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Full article: Assessing the impact of ecological forest restoration on soil carbon stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Indicators for evaluating soil quality - UF/IFAS, accessed August 5, 2025,
Indicators for evaluating soil quality - UF/IFAS, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Indicators for evaluating soil quality - UF/IFAS, accessed August 5, 2025

View Source
Preview of Indicators of Soil Health - AUSVEG, accessed August 4, 2025
Indicators of Soil Health - AUSVEG, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Indicators of Soil Health - AUSVEG, accessed August 4, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Long-term land use change in Australia from native forest decreases all fractions of soil organic carbon, including resistant or - Brigalow Catchment Study, accessed July 19, 2025
Long-term land use change in Australia from native forest decreases all fractions of soil organic carbon, including resistant or - Brigalow Catchment Study, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil chemical properties and forest floor nutrients under repeated prescribed-burning in Eucalypt forests of south-east Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nature, culture and history | Yarraman State Forest - Parks and forests, accessed July 19, 2025
Nature, culture and history | Yarraman State Forest - Parks and forests, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Government

About | Yarraman State Forest | Parks and forests | Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems - Frontiers, accessed July 19, 2025
Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems - Frontiers, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems - Frontiers, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment
Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment
Contextual Support

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment

View Source
Preview of Organic carbon stocks in cropping soils of Queensland, Australia, as affected by tillage management, climate, and soil characteristics - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025
Organic carbon stocks in cropping soils of Queensland, Australia, as affected by tillage management, climate, and soil characteristics - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Organic carbon stocks in cropping soils of Queensland, Australia, as affected by tillage management, climate, and soil characteristics - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Pinelands: Impacts of Different Long-Term Land Uses on Soil Physical Properties in Red Ferrosols - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025
Pinelands: Impacts of Different Long-Term Land Uses on Soil Physical Properties in Red Ferrosols - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Land management technical notes and fact sheets

View Source
Preview of Recovery of Australia's soils following bushfires - CSIRO, accessed July 19, 2025
Recovery of Australia's soils following bushfires - CSIRO, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Post-fire assessment report—natural values: 2019 bushfire, Lamington National Park, South East Queensland Region

View Source
Preview of Soil Aggregation, Aggregate Stability, and Associated Soil Organic Carbon in Huron Mountains Forests, Michigan, USA - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025
Soil Aggregation, Aggregate Stability, and Associated Soil Organic Carbon in Huron Mountains Forests, Michigan, USA - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Aggregation, Aggregate Stability, and Associated Soil Organic Carbon in Huron Mountains Forests, Michigan, USA - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine - CiteSeerX, accessed July 19, 2025
Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine - CiteSeerX, accessed July 19, 2025
Direct Evidence

Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine - CiteSeerX, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia
Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia
Direct Evidence

Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia

View Source
Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed July 19, 2025
Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Victorian Grain Cropping Soils - Ferrosols | VRO | Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil organic carbon and nitrogen sequestration and turnover in aggregates under subtropical leucaena–grass pastures - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Soil organic carbon and nitrogen sequestration and turnover in aggregates under subtropical leucaena–grass pastures - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The role of geochemistry in organic carbon stabilization against microbial decomposition in tropical rainforest soils - Copernicus.org, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil organic carbon is at risk in a large part of European agricultural land - EU Science Hub
Soil organic carbon is at risk in a large part of European agricultural land - EU Science Hub
Contextual Support Government

Soil carbon | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,
Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 26, 2025

View Source
Preview of Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2003). Victoria's Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management.
Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2003). Victoria's Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management.
Contextual Support Journal

1.1.5.2 Surface water quality | Bioregional Assessments

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 5 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents the functional range from compromised to best available condition in production forestry on high-clay Ferrosols. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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

6.4 % Moderate
Production Forestry · Not Stated
Point Active v1
2.7 % Low
Production Forestry · Not Stated
MinimumOnly Active v1