Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

5 %

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

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 6 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 5 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

Based on the available evidence, this detrimental threshold is defined as >5% persistent bare ground.

Metric Definition:

Bare Ground (%) is the percentage of the soil surface not covered by living vegetation (grasses, forbs, low shrubs) or the layer of dead organic litter.

Benchmark Definition:

The point where the ecosystem transitions into a state of degradation due to persistent bare ground.

Justification:

It represents a significant departure from the reference condition, corresponds to an unacceptable increase in erosion risk, and serves as a critical management trigger linked to evidence of sheet and gully erosion.

Sources (1)

Preview of Mapping and evaluating Capricornia Cays vegetation and regional ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

Mapping and evaluating Capricornia Cays vegetation and regional ..., accessed August 3, 2025, Journal

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment, accessed August 3, 2025

Supporting Sources (39)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 'Tolerable' hillslope soil erosion rates in Australia: Linking science and policy | Request PDF, accessed August 3, 2025,

'Tolerable' hillslope soil erosion rates in Australia: Linking science and policy | Request PDF, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Gully density map of the study assessment area (kilometres... - ResearchGate, accessed July 27, 2025,

Preview of 1 Background - Lord Howe Island Board, accessed August 3, 2025,

1 Background - Lord Howe Island Board, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of BioCondition | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

Biodiversity conservation and agricultural sustainability: towards a new paradigm of 'ecoagriculture' landscapes - PMC - PubMed Central

Preview of BioCondition | Project - BioCollect - Atlas of Living Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition | Project - BioCollect - Atlas of Living Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source

BioCondition | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of BioCondition | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source

BioCondition: A condition assessment framework for terrestrial ..., accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of BioCondition Assessment Framework - WetlandInfo, accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition Assessment Framework - WetlandInfo, accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source Government

BioCondition Assessment Framework - WetlandInfo

Preview of BioCondition benchmarks | Environment, land and water ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition benchmarks | Environment, land and water ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Methodology Source Government

Appendix E TEC Lowland rainforest offset area monitoring report year 1 - Transport and Main Roads

Preview of BioCondition Benchmarks for Regional Ecosystem ... - WordPress.com, accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition Benchmarks for Regional Ecosystem ... - WordPress.com, accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Methodology Source Journal

BioCondition Benchmarks for Regional Ecosystem ... - WordPress.com

Preview of BIOCONDITION SITE ASSESSMENT DATASHEET SITE INFORMATION 50 x 10m area - BioCollect, accessed August 3, 2025,

BIOCONDITION SITE ASSESSMENT DATASHEET SITE INFORMATION 50 x 10m area - BioCollect, accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

kit 3 '1234' biocondition assessment | mla, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of BioCondition: A condition assessment framework for terrestrial ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

BioCondition: A condition assessment framework for terrestrial ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source Government

BioCondition | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Conservation | Lord Howe Island, accessed August 3, 2025,

Conservation | Lord Howe Island, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

History | Christmas Island National Park | Parks Australia

Preview of Conservation | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Conservation | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Islands Of The Great Barrier Reef - Tropical North Queensland

Preview of Coral Sea Marine Park - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

Coral Sea Marine Park - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Coral Sea Marine Park - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

Preview of Crofton Weed biological control - CSIRO Research, accessed August 3, 2025,

Crofton Weed biological control - CSIRO Research, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Weeding out a pesky problem on Lord Howe Island - CSIRO, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Erosion and deposition vulnerability of small (<5000 km2) tropical islands - PubMed Central, accessed August 3, 2025,

Erosion and deposition vulnerability of small (<5000 km2) tropical islands - PubMed Central, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Erosion and deposition vulnerability of small (<5000 km2) tropical islands - PubMed Central, accessed August 3, 2025,

Preview of Estimating the relative magnitude of expected increases in soil erosion from tree clearing and agricultural development on Cape York, accessed August 3, 2025,

Estimating the relative magnitude of expected increases in soil erosion from tree clearing and agricultural development on Cape York, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Estimating the relative magnitude of expected increases in soil erosion from tree clearing and agricultural development on Cape York, accessed July 27, 2025,

Preview of Floristics and structure of the mossy cloud forest of Mt Gower summit, Lord Howe Island - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025,

Floristics and structure of the mossy cloud forest of Mt Gower summit, Lord Howe Island - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Floristics and structure of the mossy cloud forest ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Great Barrier Reef islands | Parks and forests | Department of the ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

Great Barrier Reef islands | Parks and forests | Department of the ..., accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Great Barrier Reef islands | Parks and forests | Department of the ..., accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 3, 2025,

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 3, 2025,

Preview of K'gari - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

K'gari - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

K'gari - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Preview of kit 3 '1234' biocondition assessment | mla, accessed August 3, 2025,

kit 3 '1234' biocondition assessment | mla, accessed August 3, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

BioCondition benchmarks | Environment, land and water ..., accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Norfolk Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Preview of Lord Howe Island subtropical forests | EBSCO Research Starters, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island subtropical forests | EBSCO Research Starters, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Norfolk Island Plant Communities - Jerry Coleby-Williams

Preview of Management and conservation - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Management and conservation - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

soils - of the australian alps

Preview of New South Wales Marine Parks - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

New South Wales Marine Parks - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

New South Wales Marine Parks - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 3, 2025,

Preview of Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, accessed August 3, 2025,

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Land Use Impacts on Coral Reef Health: A Ridge-to-Reef Perspective - Frontiers

Preview of Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment, accessed August 3, 2025,

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment, accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Agricultural Audit and Land Use Capability Assessment for Norfolk Island | Policy Commons

Preview of Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic ... - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic ... - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Conservation | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia

Preview of Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Estimating the relative magnitude of expected increases in soil erosion from tree clearing and agricultural development on Cape York, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Protecting our Great Barrier Reef - Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Queensland, accessed August 3, 2025,

Protecting our Great Barrier Reef - Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Queensland, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

D11 Control of Erosion and Sedimentation (Design) - Wingecarribee Shire Council

Preview of Soil Erosion Characteristics in Tropical Island Watersheds Based on CSLE Model: Discussion of Driving Mechanisms - MDPI, accessed August 3, 2025,

Soil Erosion Characteristics in Tropical Island Watersheds Based on CSLE Model: Discussion of Driving Mechanisms - MDPI, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Erosion Characteristics in Tropical Island Watersheds Based on CSLE Model: Discussion of Driving Mechanisms - MDPI, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of The Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan: An integrated approach to recovery planning - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

The Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan: An integrated approach to recovery planning - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

The Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan: An integrated approach to recovery planning - ResearchGate

Preview of The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication: Social and Technical Lessons for Inhabited Islands - DigitalCommons@USU, accessed August 3, 2025,

The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication: Social and Technical Lessons for Inhabited Islands - DigitalCommons@USU, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Government funding to increase biosecurity measures - Lord Howe Island Museum, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of The Ultimate Guide to Australia's 8 Most Important Marine Conservation Zones, accessed August 3, 2025,

The Ultimate Guide to Australia's 8 Most Important Marine Conservation Zones, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

The Ultimate Guide to Australia's 8 Most Important Marine Conservation Zones, accessed August 3, 2025,

Preview of Weeding out a pesky problem on Lord Howe Island - CSIRO, accessed August 3, 2025,

Weeding out a pesky problem on Lord Howe Island - CSIRO, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

How regenerative farming practices are revolutionising biodiversity in agriculture - Institute of Sustainability Studies

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 28 May 2026

Notes

Upper Detrimental Threshold: 5 %. Levels >5% indicate a departure from the reference state and a significant increase in erosion risk, representing a degraded condition.

Related Benchmarks

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