Soil Nitrogen

AUS-TSW-AGR-SON General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1500 mg/kg

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

For Sandy Loam to Loam soils, a benchmark of 1500 mg/kg is established, based on a 20-year no-till research site.

Metric Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen (TSN) concentration in the topsoil (0-10 cm)

Benchmark Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen concentration representing best available condition in sandy loam/loam soils under agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Derived from a long-term (20-year) no-till system on a Red Chromosol, representing high environmental health under best-practice conservation agriculture.

Sources (1)

Strategic tillage of a long-term, no-till soil has little impact on soil characteristics or crop growth over five years Journal

Strategic tillage of a long-term, no-till soil has little impact on soil characteristics or crop growth over five years

View Source

Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Opportunities for improving soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in low and medium rainfall cropping systems - GRDC, accessed July 6, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 5 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. This benchmark is specific to sandy loam/loam soils. The Lower Critical Threshold is a state of negative nitrogen balance indicated by TSN levels below ~1000 mg/kg for loam/clay soils. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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