Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

10 %

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

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 MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Therefore, a benchmark of <10% Bare Ground is proposed as the reference value for the best available condition.

Metric Definition:

Percentage of soil surface that is bare ground, i.e., not covered by vegetation, stubble, or litter.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available condition achievable in agricultural cropping systems within Australia's Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands, indicating a state of high ecological function and resilience with less than 10% bare ground.

Justification:

This value is derived by interpreting large-scale government land monitoring data through the lens of best-practice regenerative and conservation agriculture principles that explicitly aim to eliminate bare soil.

Sources (3)

Preview of Agricultural groundcover update May 2024 - DPIRD's Digital library

Agricultural groundcover update May 2024 - DPIRD's Digital library Journal

Agricultural groundcover update May 2024 - DPIRD's Digital library

Preview of Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ...

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ... Journal

Improving how gully erosion and river sediment transport processes are represented in Queensland catchment models, accessed August 11, 2025

Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers Journal

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems - Gulbali Institute - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 'Prospect Pastoral Company' – Against all odds - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

'Prospect Pastoral Company' – Against all odds - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

'Prospect Pastoral Company' – Against all odds - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Ian and Di Haggerty | No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature, accessed July 8, 2025,

Ian and Di Haggerty | No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Ian and Di Haggerty | No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Love, Humility & Gratitude — A Farming Journey | Sustainable Table, accessed July 8, 2025,

Love, Humility & Gratitude — A Farming Journey | Sustainable Table, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Love, Humility & Gratitude — A Farming Journey | Sustainable Table, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Managing ground cover in the cropping zone of southern NSW, accessed May 11, 2025

Managing ground cover in the cropping zone of southern NSW, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ...

Preview of Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed August 12, 2025

Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed August 12, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Repairing gully erosion in Western Australia | Department of Primary ..., accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria

Contextual Support Government

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains, pulses and cereals - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 13, 2025

Preview of Meeting the Australian Wool Growers Bringing the Land Back to Life - Textile Exchange, accessed July 8, 2025,

Meeting the Australian Wool Growers Bringing the Land Back to Life - Textile Exchange, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Meeting the Australian Wool Growers Bringing the Land Back to Life - Textile Exchange, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Monitoring ground cover: an online tool for Australian regions - eo-data.csiro.au, accessed July 18, 2025,

Monitoring ground cover: an online tool for Australian regions - eo-data.csiro.au, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Erosion and sediment yields in the Kakadu region of northern Australia - INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES

Preview of Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion - Agriculture Victoria

Preview of Project Updates – Mixed Cover Crops for Sustainable Farming - CSIRO Research

Project Updates – Mixed Cover Crops for Sustainable Farming - CSIRO Research

Contextual Support Government

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture is key to dry season preparation - Soils For Life, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Restoring the Western Wheatbelt: a case study update - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Restoring the Western Wheatbelt: a case study update - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Restoring the Western Wheatbelt: a case study update - Soils For Life, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 8, 2025, )

Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 8, 2025, )

Contextual Support Journal

Semi-arid woodlands (grassy sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 8, 2025, )

Preview of Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 8, 2025,

Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed August 13, 2025

Preview of Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University

Contextual Support Journal

Shelterbelts for control of wind erosion | Erosion | Soil | Farm management, accessed August 13, 2025

Preview of The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains

The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains

Contextual Support Journal

The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains, accessed July 8, 2025

Preview of The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains, accessed July 8, 2025,

The pros and cons of stubble retention - Riverine Plains, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Firewise Gardening - Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale

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 Using regenerative farming to enhance biodiversity - Local Land Services, accessed July 8, 2025,

Using regenerative farming to enhance biodiversity - Local Land Services, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Using regenerative farming to enhance biodiversity - Local Land Services, accessed July 8, 2025,

Preview of WESTERN REGION - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

WESTERN REGION - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Managing stubble | General agronomy | Crop production | Grains ...

Preview of Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025,

Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

Management - Mallee Sustainable Farming, accessed July 23, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 5 Jun 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 50 %. The benchmark of <10% bare ground sits comfortably and safely distant from the critical erosion threshold of 50% bare ground, signifying a system with a very high buffer against degradation. The functional range includes a lower critical threshold of 50% bare ground above which erosion risk is unacceptably high, and no upper detrimental threshold exists from an ecological perspective.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-AGR-BAR family.