Soil pH

AUS-ASC-FOR-SPH General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 5 to 5.5 pH
Optimal Range: 5 to 5.5
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 16 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 15 guard(s) constrain the result.

Evidence & Context

A proposed reference soil pH (1:5 soil:water) range for production forestry in Australian alpine and subalpine ecosystems is pH 5.0 to 5.5.

Metric Definition:

Soil pH measured as a 1:5 soil:water suspension

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the target soil pH range for production forestry in Australian alpine and subalpine ecosystems, balancing natural soil acidity with species preferences to support sustainable productivity and soil function.

Justification:

This proposed range balances natural alpine soil acidity with the lower end of target species' preference; aims for sustainable productivity without excessive intervention; supports robust soil functions.

Sources (1)

Preview of (PDF) The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,
(PDF) The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025, Journal

Soil pH | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Superseded
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 24 Mar 2026
  • Effective To 24 Mar 2026

Notes

The range represents a target operational window achievable with sustainable management, balancing ecological integrity with productive capacity.